The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is partnering with New Level Sports to start a PAL chapter in Kalamazoo. The Police Athletic League started as way to bring the police and community together through sports. The Kalamazoo chapter of PAL will launch this summer with football on July 31st. The PAL program allows youth to see police officers in a new light – not as adversaries, but as positive role models. A part of the Kalamazoo PAL program will incorporate a personal growth session each week for the participating youth. Some of the topics that will be discussed include personal accountability, time management, the importance of an education and several other topics. The following is a brief history of PAL.
The National Police Athletics/Activities Leagues, Inc. exists to prevent juvenile crime and violence by providing civic, athletic, recreational and educational opportunities and resources to PAL Chapters. As a membership organization, National PAL provides local Chapters with resources and opportunities to grow their own programs and enhance the quality of individual programming.
As the success of the PAL concept spread, PAL programs developed in other communities. A little over 70 years ago, six Chapters on the eastern seaboard joined together to form an association to share ideas and resources and compete in several sports. Today, there are over 300 PAL Member Chapters in law enforcement agencies servicing various cities throughout the United States, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving youth, ages 5 to 18.
It is based on the conviction that young people – if they are reached early enough – can develop strong positive attitudes towards police officers in their journey through life toward the goal of maturity and good citizenship. The PAL program brings youth under the supervision and positive influence of a law enforcement agency and expands public awareness about the role of a police officer and the reinforcement of the responsible values and attitudes instilled in young people by their parents. Studies have shown that if a young person respects a police officer on the ball field, gym or classroom, the youth will likely come to respect the laws that police officers enforce. Such respect is beneficial to the youth, the police officer, the neighborhood and the business community.
The Kalamazoo PAL chapter will serve both boys and girls ages 5-12. Anyone wishing to volunteer or participate can contact Timeko Churchwell at ( 269) 329-9323, Jamar Lockett at (269) 352-4972 or Anthony Morgan at (269) 337-8051 . For additional information please review the attached flyer or to register go to http://newlevelsports.org/register/
2017 Kalamazoo Football Flyer with Enrollment Form
Authority: Lt Anthony Morgan
Date: June 9, 2017
Address: 150 E. Crosstown Pkwy. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Contact: Captain Vernon Coakley, Operations Division, 337-8140
