POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE OF KCKS

The Police Athletic League of KCKS, Inc. (the “PAL”) is located at 800 N. 5th Street in the urban core of Kansas City, KS. Kansas City, KS presents a number of risk factors for youth. People under 18 are 27.95% of the population and 29.6% are in poverty. 86% of USD 500 students qualify for free or reduced lunches. Wyandotte County ranks “high” in the 2016 CDC Social Vulnerability Index. PAL provides a safe, supportive location and environment for out of school hours activities for youth ages 18 and under, allowing them to engage in constructive, healthy, positive ways with police officers, other members of the community, and each other. PAL also allows police officers and other community members the opportunity to have positive interactions with youth and provides a space where the parents and other family members of youth can feel safe leaving their children (or be present as some parents are) and these family members can also develop positive relations with police officers and other community members. PAL is about connecting cops, kids, and community. In 2022, 1100 unique youth age 18 and under came to the PAL. Six-hundred and twenty (620) kids participated in PAL after school and evening programs: fitness and boxing, driver’s education (79 enrolled and completed DE, i.e. got a permit or license), gun safety (6 passed their hunter safety classes) and archery, bicycle program, art classes, gardening, field trips, and other programs. In addition, 480 youth took part in other PAL sponsored activities: football camp, visiting boxers, high school students doing community service, out of town visiting cleanup groups, high school leadership programs, through Police Youth Academies and as Police Youth Cadets. These kids made over 6500 visits to the PAL for over 18,000 hours. Here is what we know about the youth who attend the PAL: 63% male, 37% female. 67% Hispanic, 19% Black/African American, and 2% Asian. 34% are ages 12-14 and 38% ages 15-18. 58% of these youth come from households with annual income less than $30,000; 26% come from households with annual income of $30,000 to $50,000. Over 80% come from Kansas City, KS/Wyandotte County. We also serve youth from throughout the metro area, particularly from Johnson County, KS and Jackson County, MO.
The largest program of PAL is the evening program of physical fitness and boxing which is open Monday through Thursday from 5:30 pm to 8pm. The Kansas City, KS community police officers assigned to PAL are present during this period and have primary responsibility for the program. They interact daily with each youth attending and develop personal, first name relationships with these youth. The youth are provided with a series of physical training exercises and boxing coaching and instruction from former professional boxers. Community members and volunteers provide additional assistance for the program. A Lenexa, KS police officer teaches a special PT course on Tuesday evenings. Youth choose how far with the boxing they wish to go. Some pursue it more as exercise; others take more one on one instruction and pursue participating in matches such as the Kansas City Golden Gloves. Hours of attendance are flexible during the 5:30 to 8pm window to accommodate different schedules and youth and their families choose how many days per week to attend.

PAL also offers gun safety and marksmanship classes, archery instruction, art classes, and gardening instruction and hands-on experience. In November 2021 PAL began an innovative driver’s education program which provides the opportunity for PAL youth to receive their learner’s permit and, ultimately, their driver’s license. Over 120 youth have received their permit or license through the program. PAL is also piloting a therapeutic sport for trauma survivors program modeled on national programs for veterans and first responders. PAL youth who are trauma survivors receive free swimming lessons and then are eligible to participate in a four-day trip to the coast for surfing lessons and counseling sessions, as well as an opportunity to engage with veterans and first responders who are also trauma survivors. The PAL also provides a location with internet access for youth to do homework and receive tutoring and instructional assistance in our computer. We also offer bicycle maintenance, repair and customization classes. and hunter and firearm safety classes. We take kids on outings and field trips. All PAL programs are offered at no cost to the participants.

PAL is an important health-enhancing resource for the youth who attend, the neighborhood, and the broader community. It is one of the few, if not the only, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities in the area which is free of charge. Youth in the urban core often lack recreational opportunities and PAL meets this need. PAL provides a social environment that is free from violence and crime. PAL decreases social isolation and helps build interpersonal trust between youth attending and the PAL police officers, other PAL staff, and volunteers. PAL provides structure many youth are missing. By having social support and support from adults, PAL youth build resilience and develop social resources that can be used to resolve life’s problems. PAL contributes positively to the community environment and infrastructure and the civic environment and culture.