The Youth Community Outreach Division of the Greenville Police Department places emphasis on education and rehabilitation over punishment when dealing with juvenile and young offender complaints. The department is committed to developing and implementing programs that are designed to reach and encourage youth participation. These programs educate youth and prevent juvenile delinquency. Youth programs within this department are designed to build mutual relationships with agencies that provide services to juveniles and youth in the community. These relationships help the department in our mission to provide outreach and delivery of services that are specifically designed to address the communities concerns related to the juvenile population.  
 
Police Athletic League (PAL)
 
The mission of the Police Athletic League is to offer the opportunity for the youth to interact with police officers and to build a positive relationship through participation in educational activities, cultural and character development, athletic and recreational activities. In 2019, The PAL program served approximately 100 youth during the summer camp, 50 youth during the afterschool programs (each school semester), and 30 youth during the spring break camp. 

 

The PAL summer camp started in 2007 and has run each year since its inception. This is an eight-week program that is held at South Greenville Recreation Center, E.B. Aycock Middle School, and Eppes Recreation Center. The program serves youth from the ages of 5-13 years old. In the summer of 2019, a total of 100 youth participated in the summer camps at these three locations.  In addition to the PAL Officers and part-time staff, seven School Resource Officers (SRO’s) rotate through the summer camps during the eight-week program. We also partner with the Girl Scouts to provide workshops and activities for the female participants.    
 
After School Program  

 

The PAL after school program started in the fall of 2007. The program is held every day when Pitt County Schools are in session. There are two sites that serve the after school program; Eppes Recreation Center and South Greenville Recreation Center.  In 2019, the two sites served 50 students each semester. The after school program partners with several local agencies and programs to provide additional staffing and programs for the youth enrolled in this program. ECU Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) partners with the PAL Program and now provides additional activities to engage our participants. CLCE implemented Design for Change (lesson plans and workshops). They also have provided tutors and Pirate PALS (sports related activities) where college student volunteers interact with the PAL Participants as mentors. PAL also partners with ECU’s College of Education STEM – CORPS EAST. The purpose of this partnership is to improve student achievement in mathematics and science through STEM tutoring and enrichment activities. This partnership will continue through the summer to incorporate STEM related activities in our summer camps.     

 

 

PAL sports programs consist of three football teams in the East Carolina American Youth Football League. The football program has approximately 75 youth participating.  All three teams were Conference runners-up in 2019.

PAL also sponsors two baseball teams in the Jackie Robinson Baseball League. . 
 
Shop with a Cop
 
Every year the Greenville PAL program partners with the Greenville Noon Rotary Club and JC Penny to provide selected under privileged children with a back to school shopping spree for school clothes.  Funding is provided by the Greenville Noon Rotary Club.
  

School Resource Officer Program (SRO’s)
 
The School Resource Officer Program is designed to provide officers as a resource for students and staff in our public schools.  Officers provide the sense of safety and security in our schools and help reduce juvenile delinquency.  Officers provide guidance on ethical issues in a classroom setting, provide individual counseling and/or mentoring to students and explain the law enforcement purpose in our public schools.  Officers interact with students in the hallways and while in the classroom; sitting in on parent/teacher conferences; and mediating disagreements and disputes between students.  Other duties include providing security at events, investigating criminal activity, and presenting presentations for students and staff.  The SRO Program currently has 1 Sergeant and 10 officers are assigned in our public schools.