History of the Police Athletic League of North Miami
The Police Athletic League of North Miami was incorporated in 1997 with business and civic leaders, educators, and citizens of the North Miami Dade County Community. The members recognized a need for supervised after school programs specifically directed towards middle school and high school youth. They also recognized a need for positive interaction between the Police Department and the youth of the community. During its inception the Police Athletic League of North Miami began with a small group of youth who participated in community programs and events. The PAL participants volunteered during the annual City Winter national Parade, Fourth of July Celebrations and assisted with food drives and deliveries during the holidays to members of the North Miami Foundation. As the organization grew and gained notoriety, supporters of the program urged the City to provide funding for uniforms, and much needed equipment. As a result of their active participation and continues success, the program expanded, gaining resources and participation. The program has expanded to include participation in regional and national PAL competitions and even a PAL Junior Police Academy. Since its inception, the PAL program has reached several hundred youth in our community, assisting them in setting and achieving positive goals for the future. With careful planning and much collaboration, the Police Athletic League (PAL) program of North Miami, a not-for-profit organization, continues to reach out to the youth of our community helping build future leaders of America.
The Police Athletic League of North Miami (PALNM) is a non-profit organization that consists of police officers, educators, business and civic leaders, parents, and citizens of the North Miami community to provide programs for our youth. PALNM was established to fill a need for youth (ages 8-18) who needed to be provided with supervision in after school programs. The main objective of the PALNM program is to meet the needs of our youth through a variety of after school athletic and educational programs utilizing positive role models such as police officers, educators, and community volunteers in informal settings other than the structured classroom environment. Some activities include boxing, track and field, Youth Development Council, Junior Police Cadet, and the Explorer Program—all of which are explained further in the PROGRAM section of this website. PALNM also provides educational services such as after school help with homework in English, Reading, and Math.
PALNM is constantly striving to expand upon its programs to enhance the youths’ knowledge and broaden their experiences through the program’s services. Our goal is to provide youth healthy physical and mental fitness, good sportsmanship, and high moral and civic values.