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The Police Athletic League has been keeping children across the city out of trouble and off the streets for 66 years now, and for more than 40 of those, there has been a PAL Day at City Hall. On Friday, 20 youths from nearly as many PAL centers across the city were sworn in and mentored by a government employee for the afternoon.
The program encourages students to stay in school, graduate and cultivate career goals. Honorees were paired with officials and shadowed City Hall employees such as Mayor Michael Nutter, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and City Councilman-at-Large David Oh. Representatives from two different South Philadelphia PAL centers and three schools were invited to participate in the annual celebration of local students’ accomplishments and successes.
Representing St. Benedict PAL and Universal Audenried Charter High School, 3301 Tasker St., Kyree Henry partnered with Sheriff Jewell Williams. Point Breeze PAL, 1599 Wharton St., found a leader in Tanisha King-Morris, a 16-year-old junior at Philadelphia High School for Girls who shadowed City Representative (and the Mayor’s Director of Communications) Desiree Peterkin-Bell. Saints Neumann and Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., senior Sihmare Morgan, a Cobbs Creek PAL regular, worked with Alan Greenberger, a senior staffer in the City’s commerce department. And Saphir Green, a 17-year-old junior at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., with an interest in law and forensics, found inspiration in observing District Attorney Seth Williams.
Green, a resident of the 700 block of Dudley Street and visitor to the Ford PAL Center, 631 Snyder Ave., for the past 11 years, has set his sights on American University in Washington, D.C., and Williams delivered some succinct advice for the young man in his office at 3 Penn Square by way of a puzzling question: What’s the number one thing in common among the criminals arrested in Philadelphia?
“The number one thing is they didn’t finish high school,” he told Green. “Dropouts are eight times more likely to go to prison; dropouts are 20 times more likely to be a homicide victim.”
As part of the learning process, Green toured through the chambers of City Hall and was introduced to Curtis Jones, Jr., 4th District Councilman, and when Green met 3rd District Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, she encouraged him to “Learn a lot and ask a lot of questions.” Shortly after Green’s moment in the District Attorney’s desk chair, he was put in the care of Vernon V. Price, the director of community and government relations down the hall.
Price showed Green the intricacies of the many floors and teams that make up the District Attorney offices, which comprise 600 employees, including 305 Assistant D.A.s and 295 other officers, investigators and secretaries. The building processes more than 75,000 cases a year.
Green’s eyes looked wide open on the 18th floor, the space that houses special investigations that include digital crime and internal investigations. One detective reminded Green that “an IP address is a fingerprint.” When introduced to an investigator who handled internal crimes, theft of services from city employees and unjust abuses of power, Green asked “They get charged like a regular person?” Indeed they do.
As Price introduced Green through the District Attorney’s office, many investigators and Assistant D.A.s jokingly asked for a raise for a long lunch, to which he was regularly firm with a “No.” One such friendly face was a 27-year veteran state trooper who playfully requested overtime and an early start to his weekend.
Now a county detective whose anonymity was necessary because of his position, he offered some of the most potent wisdom of the day for Saphir: “Keep your grades up and your nose clean. Be careful who you associate with. We’re always in need of good people. Never lose who you are, or lose sight of who you are. Always be ethical.”
Before Price took Green over to the Criminal Justice Center, while waiting for an elevator, Price talked about growing up in North Philly.
“If I can make it out of the hood, anybody can. Poverty is no excuse for bad behavior or cruel behavior,” Price said, looking towards Green.
The South Philadelphian seemed to nod in agreement.
At 1801 Vine St., a short walk from the D.A. building, Green got to witness an arraignment, a court case, meet a judge and even descend into the holding tanks underground. It was here that, perhaps stronger than any lesson he’d learned for the day, Green came face-to-face with criminals packed into a cell. Some stared as the lieutenant briskly guided the group through the close quarters and a few yelled bits of harassing screams.
While these citizens seemingly made wrong decisions to find themselves in custody, PAL day shows successful young Philadelphians who’ve emerged as success stories the chance to see good people, people who come from where they come from, as smart and successful adults thriving in public service.
“I believe we provide youth the opportunity to see the other side of the criminal justice system made up of dedicated and hard-working men and women. They are living examples of success,” Price said. “Fifty percent of youth in the Philadelphia School system that enter the ninth grade do not graduate high school. The key is to instill in our youth that they must graduate high school and how important it is to have an education and avoid criminal behavior at all costs.”
“Our Audenried scholars involved with the PAL program are typically scholars who are looking for a safe space to be after school where they can play sports and socialize with their peers,” Audenried principal Glenda Darby said. “They are usually not associated with peers taking the wrong pathway. Officers Ashton and Holmes assist with our daily operations. …They talk to students as they are in the halls and gym area and encourage them to stay in school and away from the negative influences.”
Contact Staff Writer Bill Chenevert at bchenevert@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
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