Our History and Today

The Police Athletic League (PAL) started in the 1910s when police officers had the insight to offer positive experiences for youth that involved law enforcement. These officers hoped that PAL would be a significant means to achieve this goal. Police involvement included supervision at athletic fields, classrooms, and playgrounds. PAL engaged the children and helped to identify police officers as friends.

Today, PAL has lived up to its expectations. More than 300 law enforcement agencies provide PAL services to 1.5 million youth, ages 5 to 18. These agencies are distributed in more than 700 cities encompassing 1,700 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Our Mission

The Abington Police Athletic League (PAL) is a non-profit 501C3 organization, organized to prevent juvenile crime and violence by providing programs encompassing education, training and resources to our children. PAL’s existence is a statement to these young people that the community cares about them. Our PAL utilizes community-based programs such as activities, mentorship, and community service opportunities to keep children and families involved in a pro-active situation where law enforcement officers and volunteers work together displaying a positive image through good roll models.

PAL staff supervise healthy, community-oriented, educational, cultural, social and athletic activities that provide the groundwork for the development of happy, healthy community members. PAL centers offer structured and personal guidance in a safe, friendly environment. PAL offers a wide range of physical and intellectual activities addressing the various needs of Abington’s youth.

While Abington PAL is sponsored through the Abington Township Police Department, PAL receives no direct funding from them. As such, PAL is dependent on volunteer support from local, community-oriented individuals, business leaders, corporations and foundations.

Our Core Beliefs

Our PAL utilizes a recreation-oriented juvenile crime prevention program that relies heavily upon athletics and recreational activities to help kids achieve success. Safe, positive, fun and rewarding programs offering a supportive teamwork environment is the key to the PAL success story that builds happy, well adjusted youth and safer communities.