Mayor Andrew J. Ginther today announced the Columbus Police Athletic League (PAL), a new partnership between the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, Division of Police and Department of Neighborhoods in which officers volunteer to work with youth ages 6-18 in organized sports and other programs.
“Columbus PAL is a great opportunity for law enforcement to further strengthen their relationships with our city’s youth and their families,” said Mayor Ginther. “By serving as mentors, coaches, advocates and role models, our officers will connect with the community on a more personal level – building the kind of trust, understanding and support that lasts a lifetime.”
“We are thrilled to start this initiative with the Columbus Division of Police and have these officers take the time to invest in our students’ lives,” said Charnon Barnes, recreation administrative manager of Youth Sports for Columbus Recreation and Parks. “Columbus PAL will offer a safe environment where our students can have fun while also developing life skills that go beyond sports.”
Five Columbus community centers will initially participate in Columbus PAL: Douglas, Adams, Marion Franklin, Sullivant Gardens and Blackburn. All volunteers will undergo a specific training course, which includes Columbus Recreation and Parks’ youth sports philosophy, a sports-specific curriculum, understanding the youth in our community, social-emotional learning, and modeling and teaching empathy. The public is also invited to take the training and volunteer.
“Getting to know our community is an important part of our job, as it allows us to better understand them and better serve them,” said First Assistant Chief of Police LaShanna Potts. “We are all invested in improving our community, and Columbus PAL provides a vehicle for us to create a safe and fun environment for our youth.”
Columbus PAL will begin in December with basketball and eventually expand to include baseball, boxing, cheerleading, gymnastics, softball, soccer and summer camps. The department will consider adding other sports and programs in the future as well, such as lacrosse, cricket, pickleball and tennis.
Anyone interested in volunteering must complete the Columbus PAL interest form. More information can be found on the Columbus PAL website.
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