With spring officially here, restless youth across the city have made their way to playgrounds and community centers to shoot hoops, play volleyball and hit at the baseball diamond. These and other outdoor activities represent a rite of spring for kids and teens largely kept indoors during the cold months of winter.
One nonprofit organization offering opportunities for fun has a dual purpose of reducing juvenile crime and violence. The Minneapolis Police Activities League (PAL), at 4119 Dupont, offers many free activities for young people looking for a safe place to play, all while providing access to positive role models who can make a positive long-term difference in the lives of youth.
Members of the Minneapolis Police Department have been providing PAL coaching and mentoring since 1995. The thinking: When you involve kids and teens in sports and activities that are healthy, constructive and enjoyable, they’re less likely to get into trouble. Ongoing contact with approachable officer volunteers can also reduce any stigma surrounding the police department.
PAL offers athletic and non-athletic activities of all kinds likely to engage the interests of virtually any kid or teen. Among the sports offered throughout the year are soccer, basketball, T-ball, baseball, volleyball, ice hockey, football and flag football. Homework help, waterpark visits and summertime cookouts are also part of the organization’s offerings.
An important focus of PAL programming is sustaining mentoring connections with youth. Volunteer officers are available to listen to the challenges youth may be facing and serve as sources of guidance and emotional support. As part of this effort to develop strong connections with young people, PAL offers educational camps that bring youth and mentors together.
The Minneapolis Police Explorers program allows young people to learn what it’s like to be a police officer. Youth learn about accident reconstruction, crime prevention and other police activities, and even have the opportunity to participate in an annual national competition. This event also features sports and academic sessions targeted toward fostering young people’s overall development.
Another camp opportunity that brings youth and police mentors together is the Summer Sports Fitness Camp. Free to PAL participants ages 7-17, this camp happens throughout the summer, offering kids and teens the chance to develop sports skills, get fitness training and learn about proper nutrition. Young people, for example, learn how to read food labels and explore healthy dietary options. Visits to the waterpark add to the fun factor.
In addition to providing opportunities to participate in sports and attend camps, the Police Activities League also offers field trips to members of the program. Some of the places PAL participants go to include the Minnesota Zoo, Children’s Museum, Twins games at Target Field and the Science Museum. Other field trips allow kids to roller-skate, fish or simply enjoy good food at summer barbeques.
In keeping with the organization’s mission to prevent kids from making unhealthy decisions and breaking the law, programming also features opportunities that are more directly geared toward healthy personal development. At the annual Minnesota Youth Leadership Academy, teens from Minneapolis and around Minnesota participate in classes, play instructional games, and look to each other as sources of support.
Learning experiences at the academy are designed to help teens stay above the influence of others, including information on how to grow up free of alcohol and other drugs. Young people also develop leadership skills that can help them bring what they have learned back to the community to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Families are an important part of the work that PAL does with youth — the intention is to build stronger bonds between the Minneapolis Police Department and the community. Those who want to involve their children in PAL programs can call 612-673-3447 or visit minneapolispal.org.