Florida PAL

33 Chapters and Growing

In 1983, local PAL Chapters from Jacksonville, Kissimmee, Miami Beach, St. Petersburg, and Tampa formed Florida PAL, the first statewide PAL organization in the country. Police Officers from those communities had a goal of developing PAL programs in every city and county in Florida, so youth would have an opportunity to know Police Officers and Police Officers have an opportunity to understand youth. By using athletic and education based programs during after school hours, weekends, and during summer vacation months, police officers working with youth have decreased the amount of free time youth have available for negative activities.

Today, there are 33 PAL Chapters across Florida offering athletic, academic, mentorship, and leadership training for Florida’s youth. Law Enforcement Officers know that it is more cost effective to prevent crime than to incarcerate after the crime has been committed. Since PAL first began more than 100 years ago, Law Enforcement Officers have contributed millions of hours to America’s youth.