Resolution 200173

..Title Recognizing the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia and welcoming the 50th Annual PAL Day at City Hall. ..Body WHEREAS, The Police Athletic League ("PAL") of Philadelphia has its roots in the old 36th Police District, headquartered at Germantown and Lycoming, in the mid-1940s, when Sergeant Gus Rangnow told a group of neighborhood children to move their sandlot baseball game from the police parking lot to an unused police locker room instead; and WHEREAS, That locker room was soon filled to capacity, prompting Sgt. Rangnow to seek additional recreational space in the neighborhood. He and his colleagues started organizing additional activities like baseball and boxing during their off-duty hours, and hundreds of children were signing up, establishing the foundation for what would become PAL; and WHEREAS, In 1947, Police Superintendent Howard P. Sutton, seeing the success of the sports programs, issued an order to all District Captains to send one officer each to a meeting with Mayor Bernard Samuel to create a citywide sports program to facilitate and improve relationships between the police and Philadelphia youth, and to provide said youth with positive and structured uses of their time; and WHEREAS, In 1949, PAL was formally incorporated and chartered, with the mission of fostering and promoting positive activities that could provide opportunities for different results and better lives for "rebellious youth" who were likely to attract the attention of the criminal justice system; and WHEREAS, Today, Philadelphia PAL is a 501(c)(3) organization with 20 centers throughout the City, many located in areas that have endured the worst effects of economic and social inequality, serving thousands of young Philadelphians between the ages of 6 and 18, with each center staffed by a caring, on-duty Philadelphia Police Officer; and WHEREAS, Because of the efforts of PAL officers to help young people gain confidence and follow their dreams, PAL and its programming have had lasting, positive effects on communities and contributed to improved educational outcomes; and WHEREAS, PAL officers become part of the fabric of the communities they serve, and the relationships formed between them and the children create a special impact in our City; and WHEREAS, Today, for the 50th time, the City of Philadelphia and its leaders proudly host the annual PAL Day at City Hall, during which outstanding PAL students serve as honorary City officials and are matched with mentors who guide them through a hands-on experience designed to convey the responsibilities and rewards of City leadership; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does recognize the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia and welcome the 50th Annual PAL Day at City Hall. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Ted Qualli, Executive Director of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, and Captain Krista Dahl-Campbell, Commanding Officer, PAL Police Unit, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body. ..End