♪ ♪ FIRST OF ALL, IN SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SOME OF THEM RELATED TO NEW LAWS THAT WERE JUST PASSED, WE HAVE BECOME THE JUVENILE GUN VIOLENCE CAPITAL OF NEW YORK STATE A REALLY I GO NON NEWS TITLE.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES FOR YEARS.

EVER SINCE THE INCEPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVEN IN THE LAST DECADE, BEFORE 2020, NOW WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE IN 2020, WE HAVE MULTIPLE USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS, DEADLY FORCE INCIDENTS AND A LOT OF TURMOIL AROUND THAT.

THE WAY I SAW THAT, PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO, HOW TO INTERPRET THOSE THINGS.

WE GOT TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE HOPE.

WE GOT TO GIVE POLICEMEN HOPE BECAUSE THEY'RE PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE FAMILIES.

THEY'RE NOT SOME ROBOT.

THEY ARE-- THEY HAVE FAMILIES.

THEY WANT TO GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILY EVERY NIGHT.

THEY WANT TO HAVE SUG SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN.

>> POLICE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT, AND THEY'RE NOT ROBOTS.

THEY'RE NOT A.I., IT'S NOT LIKE A TYPE OF ARTIFICIAL BEING.

THESE ARE PEOPLE, RIGHT, THAT HAVE LOVED ONES, HAVE FAMILIES, THAT GO TO THE SAME CHURCHES AND MALLS AND GROCERY STORES AND SCHOOLS.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THAT.

THAT THAT IS NOT ON THE PART OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

IT'S ALSO ON THE PART OF THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM.

THEY HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE WAY THEY INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE MOMENT THAT THEY ARE NOT AT THAT LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE BEING MINDFUL AND INTENTIONAL IN THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THAT'S WHEN YOU START TO LOSE THAT TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT?

WHEN YOU START TO SEE THEM AS OTHER.

HISTORICALLY I GREW UP IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND PLAYED IN A P.A.L.

BASEBALL EVERY YEAR UNTIL I WAS 15 OR 16 AND THEN PLAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I LOVED IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP CHARACTER.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR SYRACUSE.

AND I PROBABLY EVEN HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR 20, 25 YEARS, OR THE RESPONSE WAS ALWAYS, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

SEE YOU LATER: THERE IS ACTUALLY SOME PUSHBACK FROM VARIOUS POLICE OFFICERS.

THEY DIDN'T WANT THE EXTRA BURDEN AND THE TIME TO BE SPENT WITH IT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND THEN SOME CHIEFS JUST, YOU KNOW, WOULD GIVE YOU LIP SERVICE AND SAY, YEAH, IT'S A GREAT IDEA BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE ON.

THEN WE GOT MAYOR WALSH AND HE LOVED THE IDEA.

>> I WAS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION AT YOUTH PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW.

I WAS RUNNING SENIOR PROGRAMS.

I WAS RUNNING OUR AQUATICS PROGRAM, AND OVERSEEING OUR YOUTH REC, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY COALITION.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING NATIONALLY WITH GEORGE FLOYD, YOU KNOW, BREONNA TAYLOR AND OTHERS, AND IT WAS TRICKLING DOWN TO SYRACUSE.

IT BROUGHT UP A LOT OF NOT SO GOOD SITUATION THAT OUR CITY HAD BEEN IN.

AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WENT TO THE FOLKS WHO LEAD OUR CITY AND SAID THESE ARE OUR DEMANDS.

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.

WE WANT BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR POLICE.

WE WANT OUR POLICE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T WANT POLICE STOPPING AND FRISKING US, BEATING US UP, MAKING US FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

MAKING US FEEL SCARED.

WE DON'T WANT THAT ANYMORE.

SO FORTUNATE ENOUGH WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH PAL AND THAT WAS THE FORMER COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND YOUTH PROGRAM, OTIS JENNINGS.

HE WAS DOING PAL IN NEW YORK CITY.

HE WENT TO THE MAYOR, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND SAID IF YOU WANT TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS, YOU HAVE TO START A PAL PROGRAM.

HAVE YOU TO START THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

>> I SPOKE WITH MAYOR WALSH AND SAID IT'S TIME.

IT'S TIME FOR US TO DO IT ON A COMPREHENSIVE LARGER LEVEL.

I WAS DOING PIECES OF IT WHEN I WAS PARKS COMMISSIONER SO THE TIMING WAS RIGHT.

HE GOT CHIEF BUCKNER INVOLVED.

HE GOT COUNTY EXECUTIVE RYAN McMAHON INVOLVED.

WE ALL HAD A MEETING SPOKE ABOUT THIS.

THOUGHT IT WAS A PHENOMENAL IDEA.

AND THEN THE WHEELS STARTED TURNING AND WE STARTED GETTING PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT WOULD BE GOOD AND COMMITTED TO RUNNING THIS.

JIMMY OLIVER WAS A YOUNG MAN THAT I WORKED WITH WHEN HE WAS IN SCHOOL.

AND THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, AND STRIVED TOWARDS THOSE GOALS.

HE BECAME DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND THEN HE TOOK OVER THE ROLE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

>> THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, A FEW WEEKS LATER, CAME TO ME AND SAID JIMMY WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD THIS NEW INITIATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY?

AND I SAID SURE.

HE SAID I KNEW YOU WOULD SAY THAT.

>> DIRECTOR NOW, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, THERE CAN BE 10 JIMMY OLIVERS AND I WILL BE OUT OF A JOB BECAUSE CRIME WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF IN SYRACUSE.

I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT SPORTS DEVELOPS CHARACTER AND CHARACTER DEVELOPS A CRIME FREE LIFE.

I DO NOT PROSECUTE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOOD UPSTANDING MORAL CHARACTER.

I USUALLY PROSECUTE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSUMED BY ADDICTIONS OR MENTAL ILLNESS OR INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR DRUGS OR MONEY OR POWER OR GUNS AND I THINK THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE IS A GREAT WAY TO STEER KIDS AWAY FROM AT THAT TIME LIFESTYLE.

>> SPORTS IS UNIVERSAL REGARDLESS WHETHER IT'S SOCCER, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, FOR SOME REASON MOST KIDS JUST LOVE SPORTS.

OBVIOUSLY LIVING IN SYRACUSE, SYRACUSE FOOTBALL, SYRACUSE BASKETBALL IS HUGE.

WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAY IT OR NOT.

SPORTS IS A BETTER WAY TO CONNECT JUST BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A UNIVERSAL THING WHERE WHEN YOU LIKE PLAYING IT, THAT'S GREAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE PLAYING IT PEOPLE TEND TO STILL LIKE TO WATCH IT.

>> PUTTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN FRONT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CONSISTENTLY THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVE PROGRAMMING, THROUGH ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM SEE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL TO BECOME LEADERS, TO BECOME EDUCATED, KNOWLEDGEABLE.

>> NATIONALLY THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE, AND HAVE YOU TO LOOK AT THE ROOTS AND THE BASIC CONCEPT.

ARTHUR WOODS, IN 1914, IN NEW YORK CITY, MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA, WHERE KIDS WERE HAVING TREMENDOUS SOCIAL ISSUES SO WHAT HE DID WAS HE STARTED WHAT WAS CALLED A POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE BUT IT REALLY DID NOT HAVE THAT TITLE.

HE JUST WANTED TO CREATE A RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO KEEP THEM OUT OF TROUBLE, TO KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, ET CETERA.

>> POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE IS A GREAT IDEA LED BY JIMMY OLIVER DIRECTOR, SUPPORTED BY THE MAYOR, AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE.

VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

IF YOU HAVE VOLUNTEER POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE COACHING THE YOUTH HERE, SYRACUSE, AND SO THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO LEARN LIFE SKILLS THROUGH BEING ON BASKETBALL TEAMS; LEARNING TEAMWORK LEARNING LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, GOOD HABITS THAT THEY CANNOT ONLY APPLY AT HOME BUT AT SCHOOL AND IN LIFE.

SPORTS NOT ONLY TEACHES YOU YOU KNOW, TEAMWORK, BUT IT ALSO TEACHES LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

HOW TO PUT YOUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND COME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM, TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL.

>> WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE IS NOT ONLY, IN MY OPINION, A SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO A CIVIC ORGANIZATION WHICH TEACHES YOUNG PEOPLE CIVICS, CIVILITY, RESPECT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY, BECAUSE IN OUR SOCIETY WE HAVE TO HAVE LEVELS OF AUTHORITY THAT WE RESPECT, SO WE HAVE CIVIL ORDER.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE HAS DONE.

>> YOU WANT TO DEVELOP THE WHOLE PERSON.

SPORTS IS ONE PIECE.

ACADEMICS IS ANOTHER PIECE.

YOU KNOW, JOB TRAINING IS ANOTHER PIECE.

YOU KNOW, AFTER I'M BUYING MY FIRST HOUSE, WELL, I'M GETTING MARRIED OR I'M MOVING TO A NEW CITY.

WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR KIDS GO THROUGH THAT, BUT SINCE THEY'RE 20 AND 21, WE SAY OH YOU ARE AN ADULT, YOU'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT WHAT I KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE CONSISTENTLY AND COACH OUR KIDS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MENTORS DID FOR ME.

ONCE THEY GET INDOOR, WE WANT TO PUT THEM IN FRONT OF AUTHORS, PUT THEM IN FRONT OF BUSINESS OWNERS, PUT THEM IN FRONT OF TEACHERS, WE WANT TO PUT THEM IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY.

WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, A CULTURE, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE GOOD COMMUNITIES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE GOOD KIDS AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON BUILDING OUR POSITIVE COMMUNITIES.

>> JIMMY OLIVER, DIRECTOR OLIVER, POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE IS PHENOMENAL.

HANDS DOWN.

THAT HE KNOWS WHAT HE KNOWS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

HE HAS THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.

AND BE ABLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE YOUTH TO THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS; TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER RESOURCES, OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE INVOLVED.

YOU KNOW, THE POLITICIANS THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT, OR A TYPE OF PERSON LIKE JIMMY OLIVER.

I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY PEOPLE LIKE JIMMY OLIVER AT ALL, THAT ARE AS SOLD ON LIKE HEY, I NEED THIS FOR PIE COMMUNITY AND WORKING TIRELESSLY TO GET IT DONE.

>> WE'VE GOT BIG CITY PROBLEMS IN A SMALL CITY IN SYRACUSE.

IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR US TO GET OUT AND GET WITH THESE KIDS AND TO TRY AND SHOW THEM A POSITIVE WAY.

LIKE THE SPEAKER WE HAD TALKING ABOUT THE STRUGGLE HE HAD TO GET THROUGH TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS.

I WANT EVERY ONE OF THESE KIDS TO LEAVE HERE NOT ONLY FEELING CONFIDENT ABOUT BASKETBALL BUT CONFIDENT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO BUILD AND GROW AND IF WE CAN EXPAND THE SKILLS ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, WE CAN EXPAND SKILLS IN OTHER PLACES.

>> PEOPLE TEND TO SAY, JIMMY YOU ARE A UNICORN.

NOT EVERYBODY IS LIKE YOU.

YOU GREW UP IN THE HOOD AND YOU THE ONLY ONE.

NO, I'M NOT.

I'M NOT IF YOU GO IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TALK TO THESE KIDS AND SEE THEIR STRUGGLES AND THEY'RE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S BECAUSE CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES STEPPED UP TO HELP.

THEIR PARENTS STEPPED UP AND HELPED.

BUT WE HAVE TO, AGAIN, PUT THEM OUT THERE.

TOO MANY TIMES WE DON'T PUT THEM OUT THERE.

WE PUT OUT THE NEGATIVE.

>> THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY IS 100% BROKEN.

I'LL BE HONEST.

TRYING TO REBUILD THAT BACK THROUGH THE KIDS, TO START THERE, TO BRING THE PARENTS INVOLVED, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO HONESTLY GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF KIDS, A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HAVE THE PERCEPTION THAT COPS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SCARY OR COPS ARE BAD.

AND THIS GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEE LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY ACTUALLY WORKING WITH EACH OTHER, WORKING WITH THE KIDS AND BUILDING LIKE A RAPPORT.

>> OUR SOCIETY CAN BE FRACTURED AT TIMES.

AND TO ME, IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE ME AS A HUMAN AND I SEE THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS, TOO INSTEAD OF WHATEVER LEVEL WE WANT TO THROW ON THEM WE DON'T GET TO SEE A POLICE OFFICER IN THEIR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT LIKE THIS INTERACTING WITH KIDS WHERE THEY'RE COACHES AND MENTORS, THE KIDS GET TO SEE POLICE IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

>> VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE KIDS SEE US IN THIS LIGHT AS A COACH AND SHOW THAT WE ARE NORMAL PEOPLE, NOT JUST SOMEBODY IN A UNIFORM.

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE KIDS HAVE WITH THE POLICE FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A POSITIVE LIGHT AND SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, NORMAL PEOPLE.

>> JUST COMING INTO THE POLICE STATION AND DOING SOMETHING IS EXPOSING THE CHILDREN TO GIVE THEM THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE OUT THE WINDOW.

WE HAVE DANCE HERE IN THE POLICE GYM.

BUT FOR THEM TO LIKE INTERFACE, I THINK US KNOCKING DOWN THE STIGMAS THEY SAY ON TV LIKE ALL POLICE OFFICERS ARE BAD AND ALL POLICE OFFICERS ARE DOING THINGS AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE GIRLS EVERYTHING.

I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE BAD.

OUR PEOPLE THAT WEAR BADGES, THEY CAN BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET OR YOU CAN WALK IN A BUILDING AND YOU CAN SEE A POSITIVE POLICE OFFICER DOING GREAT THINGS.

>> ACTUALLY GETTING TO LEARN THE POLICE OFFICERS BEHIND THE BADGE, SEEING THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY WITH BASKETBALL ITSELF.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP EASILY WITH THE KIDS KIDS LOOK UP TO PARENTS, ADULTS IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

MY SON HE SAID HE WANTS TO BE A COP WHEN HE GROWS UP SO HAVING HIM PLAY UNDER POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A GREAT WAY TO MAKE HIM NOT ONLY A BETTER PERSON, BUT TO SEE POLICE AS INDIVIDUALS AND NOT JUST AS A JOB.

>> I SEE SOMEONE EVERY SINGLE DAY, I KNOW THAT INDIVIDUAL BY NAME, I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PERSON IF SOMETHING NEGATIVE HAPPENS AND THAT INDIVIDUAL COMES, THAT PERSON DIFFUSES THE SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, OH, THAT'S SERGEANT... >> I COME FROM THE SAME BACKGROUND AS A LOT OF THESE KIDS I WANT THEM TO KNOW WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO, IF THEY WANT TO HELP PEOPLE, THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK AND JUST TO GET INVOLVED.

AND I THINK THAT IT GOES A LONG WAY WHEN YOU SHOW THEM OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN NORMAL CLOTHES OUTSIDE THE BADGE, WHAT WE DO AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE JUST HERE TO HELP AND PAVE THE WAY FOR THE KIDS TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.

>> RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T TYPICALLY GET TO SEE EVERY DAY, I THINK IS IMPACTFUL AND WE NEED TO DO THAT MORE CONSISTENTLY.

>> JUST THINK ABOUT IT LOGICALLY, POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVES ON A VOLATILE SCENE, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE IS FACING.

ACTIVE SHOOTING CASE, HOSTAGE SITUATION, AN ARMED ROBBERY OR KIDNAPPING.

AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, HEY, YOU, HE SAYS HEY, JIM, YOU REMEMBER ME, OFFICER SMITH.

OH YEAH, HEY, COACH, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION.

YOU DEVELOP TRUST.

YOU KNOW THAT THIS GUY MIGHT BE WEARING A BADGE AND GUN BUT HE WAS YOUR COACH FOR X NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND YOU DEVELOPED A RAPPORT OR A RELATIONSHIP OR FRIENDSHIP; A TRUSTING FRIENDSHIP WITH HIM.

IT'S LITERALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU KNOW, BEING WITH SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH OPPOSED TO BEING IN A ROOM FULL OF STRANGERS AND FEELING AWKWARD.

>> WE FEAR THE THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

AND THE MORE YOU ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS AND THE MORE YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE FEARFUL BUT YOU ALSO MIGHT BE INTRIGUED BY THOSE THINGS AND YOU MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO THAT.

SO I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PAL AND THAT TYPE OF SITUATION, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT IN HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST HEY, I'M A HUMAN BEING AND LET'S INTERACT IN A WAY THAT ONLY CAN BE RESPECTFUL TO ONE ANOTHER, ET CETERA, WHICH IS GREAT BUT ALSO LET ME TEACH YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT I DO AND WHY.

>> POLICE CIVILIAN CONFRONTATIONS, BY DEFINITION, ARE OFTEN TIMES TENSE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE TREATING THIS INDIVIDUAL AS A SUSPECT.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PAT HIM DOWN AND MAKE SURE HE IS NOT CARRYING A WEAPON: ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE CIVILIAN SIDE, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU ANYTHING.

YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE A STATEMENT FROM ME, THEN YOU ARE GOING BACK HOME TONIGHT I GOT TO STAY HERE IN THE HOOD AND DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE THAT I JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS, THEY CAN SO EASILY BE DIFFUSED AND AVOIDED IF IT'S A MORE PERSONAL INTERACTION BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

>> WE WANT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING POSITIVE TO DO.

WE WANT THEM TO BE AROUND POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS.

WE WANT THEM TO BE AROUND, YOU KNOW, COMPETITION AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF GROWING UP AS WELL.

>> LET'S GO, LET'S GO.

AND WE WANT TO TEACH THEM SOME SKILLS, SOME EDUCATION PIECES.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL DETER KIDS FROM MAKING DECISIONS.

IF YOU KEEP THEM ENGAGED CONSISTENTLY, THEY WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT BEING IN THE GANG BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING THEM FROM 2:00 TO 9:00 AND IN THOSE TIMES THEY ARE DOING ATHLETICS, THEY'RE DOING FOOD, THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, HOME WORK, THEY ARE HAVING GUEST SPEAKERS COMING IN.

>> THE MENTORSHIP IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT BEEN THAN BASKETBALL COACH.

I'M A POLICE OFFICER, I'M NOT A BASKETBALL COACH BUT I KNOW HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND I LIKE TO GET OUT AND TALK TO KIDS WHENEVER I CAN.

NOT JUST HERE BUT ANYWHERE ON PATROL.

BUT HERE IT GIVES US A REAL GOOD FOCUSED OPPORTUNITY AN HOUR AND A HALF A WEEK WITH THE KIDS WHAT I SAW WITH THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE WHICH WAS REALLY COMPREHENSIVE AND HELPFUL IS THAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE A FATHER IN THE HOME, THAT POLICEMAN ACTED AS AN OLDER BROTHER AND A FATHER BECAUSE WHAT THEY TAUGHT US HOW TO DO IS TO TALK TO OTHER POLICEMEN OUTSIDE OF THEIR JURISDICTION AND IF YOU ARE STOPPED, THIS IS THE WAY THAT YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, I WANT TO SAY, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 20-25 OPPORTUNITIES WHERE DIFFERENT FOLKS GOT TO COME IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT TO PAY YOUR BOOT, NO TO THE FIND OUT WHETHER YOU GOT A TICKET OR A WARRANT.

I CAME HERE BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE IN A PROGRAM WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND IT'S PAL AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

>> YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO SOMETHING AND IT BOMBS BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THEY HAVE A LOT MORE RESPECT THAN IF YOU ARE JUST SITTING ON THE SIDELINE NOT DOING ANYTHING AT ALL.

IF YOU ARE TRYING AND YOU TRUST THEM, YOU ENGAGE THEM.

YOU GIVE THEM A VOICE, THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP OUR TEAMS, JUST LIKE OUR YOUNG KIDS, THEY WANT STRUCTURE.

THEY WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO.

THEY WANT TO BE TREATED THE SAME AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME, TOO.

WE TRY TO TREAT EACH KID DIFFERENTLY.

NO, YOU GOT TO BE THE SAME, YOU GOT TO BE CONSISTENT NOBODY HAS ANY BEARINGS EVEN MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS ARE IN PAL.

I MAY BE HARDER ON THEM.

THE EXPECTATION IS THE SAME FOR THE KID I DON'T KNOW.

>> STAY POSITIVE.

NOBODY LIKES LOSING.

EVERYBODY HERE IS A COMPETITOR BUT THE ONLY REASON-- >> AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE WANT THEM TO LIVE TO BE 40 AND BEYOND WE WANT THEM TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

WE WANT THEM TO GET A JOB.

WE WANT THEM TO PURCHASE THAT FIRST HOUSE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CARING ADULT MEETING WITH THAT CHILD FOR AN HOUR A WEEK, CHECKING THEIR GRADES, CHECKING THEIR BEHAVIOR, ASKING ABOUT SCHOOL, ASKING THEM ABOUT HOME LIFE, ENCOURAGING THEM, GIVING THEM INCENTIVES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS TO SAY, OKAY, I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

CAN WE HAVE AN AWARDS CEREMONY RECOGNIZING WHO GOT HONOR ROLL OR C OR BETTER AVERAGES.

BECAUSE IF WE CAN DO THAT IT'S INCREDIBLE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE LONG-TERM GOALS.

WE WANT EVERY KID WHO STARTED WITH PAL, WE WANT THEM TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT'S A START.

THAT'S THE STARTING POINT.

>> TO TAKE PAL TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WE HAVE TO GET JIMMY ALL OF THE SUPPORT AND WE HAVE TO WRAP EDUCATION AROUND IT, BECAUSE IT'S GOOD TO DO ALL THIS STUFF AND THEN THEY GRADUATE AND I CAN'T PUT TWO SENTENCES TOGETHER OR SPEAK THE KING'S ENGLISH OR DO MATH?

WHAT GOOD IS IT?

>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THINGS RIGHT.

WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING.

>> I FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT THAT IF WE CAN GET KIDS IN HERE AND WE CAN COUP ESPECIALLY THEM AS PART OF THESE PROGRAMS, THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE MORE NEGATIVE SIDES OF LIFE HERE IN SYRACUSE.

>> SO WE JUST STARTED THIS PROGRAM.

THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR NOW.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN GET THE FOUNDATION WITH THE KIDS, WE CAN BUILD ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THEY GRADUATE, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL AND HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH US AS THE COACHES AND EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THE PROGRAM AND IF THEY NEED ANYTHING, THEY CAN COME TO US.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO BRANCH OUT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PHILADELPHIA HAS 10 SITES FOR PAL.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD ONE IN THE CITY.

WE HAD ONE IN THE COUNTY.

WE HAD ONE IN, YOU KNOW, FAYETTEVILLE, CANNES STOAT A, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL BECAUSE THE KIDS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED IT AS WELL.

>> JIMMY IS RIGHT TO FOCUS ON SYRACUSE.

THE KIDS ARE NOT SHOOTING EACH OTHER IN CAMILLUS OR MANLIUS OR LAFAYETTE WHERE I LIVE.

THE KIDS ARE SHOOTING EACH OTHER IN A VERY, VERY LIMITED NUMBERS OF AREAS IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE, ABOUT 90% OF OUR HOMICIDES ARE COMMITTED IN ABOUT 9% OF THE CITY CITY OF SYRACUSE.

THOSE ARE THE KIDS WE GOT TO REACH.

NOW IF WE GET IT BOOMING AND YOU KNOW, WE GET IT ENDOWED AND WE ARE WELL STOCKED FINANCIALLY, GOT PLENTY OF EQUIPMENT, PLENTY OF VOLUNTEERS AND COACHES AND WE WANT TO EXPAND IT ALL AROUND THAT COUNTY, AMEN.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

>> OUR HOPE-- I HOPE IN A YEAR WE HAVE A FACILITY BECAUSE I REALLY GENUINELY FEEL THAT'S WHERE WE ARE READY TO GO.

I THINK OUR PARENTS ARE READY TO GO.

>> IF THEY WANT TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW DESIGNATED POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE FACILITY AND WE COULD GET MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM DRUG ENFORCEMENT AND WHATEVER, AND THEN THEY WANT TO BUILD OUT SOMETHING TOTALLY NEW, HEY, GREAT!

BUT THE KEY IS FOR PAL TO GROW, IN MY OPINION, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE FACILITIES AND THE STAFFING.

>> I WANT TO PUT TOGETHER A PARENT COMMITTEE, LIKE A P.T.O., OF PAL.

AND NOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AND WE CAN BRING KIDS AT SOME POINT.

BUT GET THE PARENTS IN SO THEY CAN SAY HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT THIS?

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

I KNOW A FRIEND WHO FLIES AIRPLANES.

OR THEY DO DRONES.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FOR YOUR KIDS?

I RUN AN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM.

YOU HAVE KIDS WHO LOVE TO DRAW OR WANT TO BUILD THINGS.

I FEEL LIKE WE CAN GET INVOLVED IN THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO PART INNER WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH PEOPLE, THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, LIKE STREET ADDICTIONS, SNUG, O.G.

VERSUS GUN VIOLENCE.

HOW CAN WE START BUILDING THOSE COALITIONS AS WELL AND EXPOSING THEIR POPULATION WAS WE ARE DOING IN PAL.

I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A HUGE PIECE OF WAS WE ARE DOING AND MAYBE IF WE WANT TO GET REALLY CRAZY, PUT US AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE SAME SPACE: WE ARE SYRACUSE PAL BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN PIVOT AND BECOME CENTRAL NEW YORK PAL.

I BELIEVE WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WE ARE TOUCHING AND ARE EXPOSED TO, I FEEL LIKE WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS THAT.