What Is the Police Activities League?

The Police Activities League is a youth crime prevention program that relies on educational, athletic, and other recreational activities to cement a bond between police officers and the youth.

The Police Activities League program is based on the conviction that young persons - if they are reached early enough - can develop strong, positive attitudes toward police officers in their journey through life toward the goal of maturity and good citizenship.

The Police Activities League promotes trust and understanding between youth and police officers. It brings youth under the supervision and constructive influence of a law enforcement agency and expands public awareness about the role of a police officer. Part of that role is the reinforcement of 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 or in the gym, 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.
History of the Police Activities League Program

The purpose of Police Activities League (PAL) is the same today as it was the day this crime prevention program began during the 1930s. PAL gives kids a chance to be respectful citizens by developing a special bond among police officers, youth, and the community.

PAL started with a bang - a rock through a window. A youth gang in New York City, harassing storekeepers and generally making life miserable in the neighborhood, caused the problem that pioneered this approach to juvenile delinquency.

Lieutenant Ed Flynn of the New York Police Department’s Crime Prevention Bureau liked kids. He wondered at the uselessness of always punishing them. He wondered whether kids might be reached before they got in trouble. He searched out the gang’s ringleader. As they talked, Lieutenant Flynn listened for the reasons behind the kids’ antisocial behavior. The ringleader shouted the frustration of the ghetto, telling the cop, "Man, we ain’t got no place to play, nothing to do. The cops are always hasslin’ us. We can't even play baseball." A baseball fan himself, Lieutenant Flynn began to wonder, why not help these kids form a team? Give them a place to play under police supervision. Be a friend instead of an enemy.

He talked it over with fellow officers and neighborhood storekeepers. Each chipped in a dollar for equipment and uniforms. Lieutenant Flynn found a playground where the gang could play under the watchful eye of friendly police officers. The team was an instant success. Before the year ended, there were close to a dozen such teams in the city. That was the birth of PAL.

PAL has since broadened its scope to include arts and crafts, dance, music, drama, social services, vocational guidance, remedial reading, and field trips, virtually any healthy activity that youth enjoys.
PAL General Information

The Police Activities League (PAL) in Hollywood is sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department. PAL is a recreation-oriented youth program which develops and works to strengthen the bond between police officers and the children in the local area. PAL uses educational, athletic, and recreational activities to complete this mission.

PAL utilizes the LAPD and its officers to create constructive influences and to supervise the children. PAL is based on the belief that the role of a police officer includes the reinforcement of responsible values and attitudes which are instilled in young people by their parents.

The Hollywood PAL administrative office is located in the Hollywood Community Police Station. It shares an office with several other sections of the LAPD Hollywood Division. Currently, there are three officers assigned to the unit who work full-time organizing, preparing, and executing a wide variety of programs for the children in Hollywood.

In order to bring a diverse variety of quality activities and services to the children in Hollywood, Hollywood PAL works with volunteers, other agencies, and accepts donations from the public.
PAL Activities in the Hollywood Area

MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM

The martial arts program serves approximately 80-100 boys and girls, ages 6-17.   Tae Kwon Do classes are taught by former Commanding Officer of Hollywood Division, Ron Sanchez.  He is assisted by an assistant karate instructor who is a Black Belt and former PAL member.  The classes are broken down by rank or belt and PAL kids have the opportunity to compete in a variety of tournaments throughout the year.
Details: Hollywood PAL Karate Studio, 6411 Hollywood Blvd. - Monday-Thursday 4-7pm

SOCCER PROGRAM

The soccer program currently has 10 teams.  The teams compete in the Anahuak  Youth Soccer Association, as well as occasional tournaments. 

Details: Practices are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6:00-8:00pm at local area high schools.  Games are typically played on Saturdays or Sundays.

JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY

Hollywood Junior Police Academy is a truly unique program that teaches children, in a safe and wholesome environment, about what it is like to do actual police work. During the 8-week program, kids are exposed to all facets of the job by participating in a variety of workshops taught by LAPD experts. Activities include touring the Hollywood police station, learning about crime scene investigation, visiting the Piper Tech-Air Support Division, seeing what life is like in juvenile hall, meeting members of the Bomb Squad and K9 Bomb detection unit, watching motorcycle demonstrations, and much more.

Details: Call Officer Zandy Terrones (213 847 4382) for more information.

HOLLYWOOD FIT CLUB:

Hollywood Fit Club allows children to participate in an assortment of fitness activities such as yoga, running, and Open Sport.

Details: Call Officer Zandy Terrones 213-847 4382 for more information.

FIELD TRIPS:

The Hollywood PAL kids are also treated to a wide variety of field trips once a month, visiting places they might not otherwise have the resources to attend. The trips also provide a fun environment in which to bond with police officers. Examples of recent trips include visits to Magic Mountain, the beach, Universal Studios, Los Angeles Zoo, LAPD Air Support and the LAPD Police Academy.
 
ANNUAL EVENTS:

Every year Hollywood PAL sponsors National Night Out, the PAL Summer Picnic and a children's Holiday Party. The children also have an opportunity to participate in California PAL events, such as Camporee, Beach Play Day, The Sacramento Experience and Life After High School.

REGISTRATION:

To register for a Hollywood PAL program, please call 213 847 4382 for more information. To sign up, you will need to bring a copy of your child’s latest report card and medical insurance/provider information.