Dallas Police Youth Foundation Inc

SUPPORT THE YOUTH OUTREACH EFFORTS OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AS THEY ENGAGE AND MENTOR THE CHILDREN OF DALLAS TO BECOME FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS.

POLICE ATHLETIC/ACTIVITIES LEAGUE PAL IS A MENTORING PROGRAM FACILITATED BY POLICE OFFICERS. PAL PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TO CREATE HIGH LEVELS OF PERSONAL INTERACTION BETWEEN POLICE OFFICERS AND YOUTH. PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN GOOD BEHAVIOR, GOOD GRADES, AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY BASED VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. PAL PROGRAMS SERVE YOUTH AGES 6 THROUGH THE LATE TEENAGE YEARS. MANY OF THE YOUTH SERVED BY PAL PROGRAMS LIVE IN TARGETED AREA ACTION GRID OR TAAG AREAS WITHIN THE CITY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS WHERE CONDITIONS ARE HIGHLY FAVORABLE FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. STATISTICALLY, TAAG AREAS ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 6% OF THE GEOGRAPHY BUT ALMOST 40% OF CRIME. CURRENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: BOXING, MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL, HORSEMANSHIP, ROBOTICS, MENTORING, CHESS, PAL SINGERS, PAL SCHOLARS, MUSIC INCLUDING GUITAR LESSONS, AND BICYCLING. PRIMARY ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE IN LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS ALTHOUGH PARTICIPANTS MAY TRAVEL TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR COMPETITIONS I.E. RACES HONORING CHARITABLE CAUSES OR OUT OF STATE TO RECOGNIZED TOURNAMENTS IN THEIR SPECIFIC DISCIPLINE I.E. BOXING.

JUNIOR EXPLORER PROGRAM - FOR THOSE DALLAS OFFICERS WHO HAVE WORKED WITH EXPLORERS OVER THE YEARS, THE NEED TO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR KIDS YOUNGER THAN 14 WAS APPARENT THUS WORK BEGAN TO CREATE THE JUNIOR EXPLORER PROGRAM. IT IS AIMED AT YOUTH AGES 10-13 WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WAS ROLLED OUT IN JANUARY 2015 TO UNANTICIPATED ENTHUSIASM. THE GOALS OF THE JUNIOR EXPLORER PREOGRAM INCLUDE: HELP THE YOUTH STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, GAIN CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES, LEARN HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND HOW TO BECOME ELIGIBLE TO JOIN THE DALLAS POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM WHEN THEY TURN 14 YEARS OF AGE. JUNIOR EXPLORER ADVISORS OFFICERS AID IN POSITIVE DECISION MAKING IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A SOLID FOUNDATION OF MORAL AND ETHICAL STABILITY IN THE YOUTH AS THEY GROW INTO ADULTHOOD. FUNDING IS UTILIZED FOR SUPPLIES AND OCCASIONAL MISSION APPROPRIATE FIELD TRIPS IN AN EFFORT TO EXPAND THE PARTICIPANT'S HORIZONS.

THE DALLAS POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM IS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 14-21 WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A POSSIBLE CAREER. EXPLORERS PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY MEETINGS THAT TEACH THEM ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS LIFE SKILLS TO PREPARE THEM TO BECOME THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW. MEETINGS ARE HELD AT DPD PATROL DIVISION GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY PARTICIPATE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPETITIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, FURTHER EXPOSING THEM TO THE REQUISITE INITIATIVE, FORESIGHT, GUIDANCE, EXEMPLARY ETHICS, AND INFLUENCE REQUIRED OF A GOOD LEADER. COMMUNITY SERVICE IS REQUIRED AND BECOMES INSTILLED AS A CHARACTER TRAIT WITH OUR EXPLORER YOUTH AND IS A LEADERSHIP QUALITY THE DALLAS POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM EMBRACES.