Brooklyn Youngsters Enjoy Police Athletic League's Junior Police Jamboree

On June 15, 2017, over 150 Police Athletic League (PAL) children, including boys and girls from PAL Centers in Brooklyn, participated in the 9th Annual Junior Police Jamboree at the NYPD Candidate Assessment Center in Manhattan. PAL youths Jared and Jahseem from Breukelen Cornerstone said they had fun learning how to climb over the gate. Reflecting on their interactions with police officers at the Jamboree, Jared feels “good about the police, and knows that he will be protected.” Jahseem says, “it was fun to meet the police officers and that they taught him how to save people.” The young “recruits” from 20 PAL Centers throughout New York City displayed projects highlighting leadership qualities and community service during a fair, while members of NYPD demonstrated officer training activities. Following the presentations, the new “recruits” were sworn in with the Junior Police Pledge.

The Jamboree celebrates a year of team-building activities and mentoring by NYPD officers. “The very first Junior Police Club was created by Officer John Sweeney in 1914. He intuitively knew that kids needed to be a part of the solution to problems in their neighborhoods, and a positive relationship with the police was a good start,” said Frederick Watts, Executive Director, PAL. “The Jamboree allows PAL kids to develop qualities and skills that will make them successful in life, and get to experience firsthand what it’s like to be a police officer.”

PAL’s Junior Police Club is a leadership development program, whose members work toward the completion of civic projects during PAL’s After School Program. Through partnership with the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau, Youth Services Section, the program fosters positive relations between youth and police officers, while teaching young people a sense of leadership and a responsibility to give back to their communities.

New York City’s Police Athletic League is the first and finest civilian-run PAL in the country. Founded in 1914, PAL has served the city’s young people for over 100 years. PAL provides recreational, educational, cultural and social activities to 35,000 boys and girls annually. It is also the city’s largest, independent, nonprofit youth organization. For more information, please visit www.palnyc.org.

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Photo Captions

• PAL kids from Breukelen Cornerstone participate in the 9th Annual Junior Police Jamboree
• PAL kids from PAL’s Wynn Center participate in the 9th Annual Junior Police Jamboree
• PAL kid takes part in drills at the 9th Annual Junior Police Jamboree