Many police departments have programs to keep kids out of trouble such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance and Education) and G.R.E.A.T (Gang Resistance Education and Training). Bensalem Police Department in Bensalem Pennsylvania has been running a P.A.L. (Police Activities League) for several years and it is one of the most popular programs in the township. The purpose of PAL is to keep kids actively involved with the community police and out of trouble. PAL hosts a number of activities including a bowling league, basketball league (most popular), trips to Philadelphia Phillies games, a hockey league and even a flag football league.
In the Bensalem P.A.L. program, the police officers are coaches or referees for all of the athletics. The games are refereed by the rules of the P.I.A.A. (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association).
Director of Public Safety Fred Harran attends the P.A.L. events frequently and is proud of the efforts made by the Bensalem Township Police Department in the P.A.L. program to keep kids out of trouble and involved with the police in a positive manner.
According to the Bensalem Township Police Department, the P.A.L. Summer Basketball League is the largest it's ever been with all teams at full capacity. An estimated 416 of the township's youth residents are participating including a league for girls, elementary school students, middle school students, and high school students.
While playing in P.A.L. the young members learn sportsmanship, friendly competition, and gives them an outlet of expression that results in a number of possibilities after they leave the program an move on.
P.A.L. Basketball also hosts a day of Championship games to determine which team is the overall champion of P.A.L. The event starts with the Juniors' and Girls' games. Before the Senior Boys game, "The Star Spangled Banner" is performed by The Odyssey's Adam Jones. The final game is played with intensity and emotion by the top two teams in the league.
After the National Anthem, there are remarks by officers who run P.A.L. After the opening remarks, rewards are given for the 1st and 2nd place teams, Most Valuable Player for each team (at the end of each game, the MVP is chosen by the coaches of the opposing teams and tallied at the very end), P.A.L. All stars (chosen same way as the MVP), Coach of the Year (given to the coach who stood out the most throughout the season), and the members of the Bensalem Township Police Explorers Unit, Post 722 for their contribution to Medical Services, Cleaning up, Setting up, Security and the miscellaneous jobs that have to get done around the basketball court.
The Bensalem Police Department P.A.L. program is certainly one of the best in the area and the department is certain that it will continue to serve the purpose of protecting and serving through community policing.
