PAL league still a mystery
Remember the Police Activities League we were supposed to start nearly two years ago?
Me too. That's why I felt now was a good time to ask some questions and get readers an update on what is happening with the $114,000 in public funds directed to this venture ...
SAN BERNARDINO -- Nearly two years after the City Council allocated $114,000 for its launch, a Police Activities League still has not materialized.
But Police Department and parks and recreation leaders say the nascent program has made progress, and still could become a viable entity.
But some aren't so sure.
"The city should step aside from something it simply doesn't know how to do," said 7th Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack.
Critics complain the program has not yet received nonprofit status isn't drawing consistent police volunteers, while another police/youth program has successfully met bi-monthly this year without city funds.
But Police and parks officials stress that building a league takes time and that they remain on course.
"The program is moving forward," said Lt. Scott Paterson. "As quickly as we would like to? No, but most PAL leagues take anywhere from 3 to 5 years to get up and running."
But the program record over the past six months is a mixed bag.
Executive Director James Frink, hired in February to develop a PAL program, resigned last month when his six month city contract expired, said his Curtis Brown Jr., a parks manager who supervised Frink.
Frink earned $19,387.50, at $25 per hour, from the city.
Brown said Frink's accomplishments included taking children on three field trips, helping to organize a board of directors and preparing an application for nonprofit status. He said Frink resigned because he wanted to "pursue other interests."
Brown said he was unsure when the city's PAL program may become a nonprofit, which is crucial to becoming part of state and federal PAL networks and becoming eligible for funding opportunities.
Including Frink's salary, the city has spent $27,399.12 of the original $114,000, Brown said.
As for the $86,600.88 unspent, Brown said he had to wait for the council for direction about whether - and how - to spend it. The first $114,000 was allocated to the Police Department. Whether it will remain the agency in charge of the funds is unknown.
Questions about the progress of the program have lingered since November, when Police Chief Michael Billdt told the City Council and public the PAL program was up and running at an Operation Phoenix Center, not the Delmann Heights Community Center the council had directed him to launch.
Later reports revealed that no PAL league actually existed, but that two officers had visited the center on separate occasions while on paid duty.
After that, police officials actively courted parks and recreation, which became a partner in building the program.
Paterson said troubles in parks, following the July arrest of Operation Phoenix Center manager Mike Miller on child molestation charges, have been a factor in slowing progress.
"Parks and rec is the lead agency," Paterson said. "And their time has been consumed to an extent."
The three field trips included a rented bus ride to Staples Center in Los Angeles, where children watched an arena league football game, Brown said.
McCammack said the city made a mistake in not supporting and partnering with a PAL-like program that sprung up earlier this year, when police union leaders and a local nonprofit began providing weekend programming with children from local housing projects.
Whether the deepening rift between rank-and-file members and police leadership - which exploded into a landslide no-confidence vote last week - precluded a partnership is unclear.
McCammack said the city, and the police administration in particular, wasn't up to the challenge.
"I don't care who is to blame," McCammack said. "But the chief bit off more than he could chew in trying to run this nonprofit."
Brown said he could not provide estimates of how many children or officers participated because his files had been seized during the Operation Phoenix investigations.
Wow. $27,000 for a chaperone for a couple of field trips and to set up a 501(c)(3) that should only cost a couple of hundred bucks.
Great job!
Got to love the accountability here. We don't even know how many children attended these field trips. Fantastic.
And I see that Lt. Scott "Baghdad Bob" Paterson strikes again. How in the hell can he say the program is progressing when it doesn't even have leadership or direction?
Mr Rogers,
I am a west side resident who recently started reading this blog after seeing the print article about the Dorjils incident. Shortly after doing so I saw some posts about the police chief having made some racist comments. I believe someone posted that he used to say "San-bernar-negro." Now I don't know if that is true or just some unhappy police officer trying to badmouth him. But it doesn't sit well in conjuction with the Dorjils situation. Now I read in the article on your homepage that the chief didn't launch this program in Delmond Heights like he was supposed to. When I look at the big picture I'm starting to think maybe he has made those comments. It sure looks like he has something against the west side.
Felicia,
I believe he is attributed with coining the phrase, "san-beaner-negro"
Mrs. Hart all that needs to be said is Chief Bildt was considered a department insider. One of the old boys in a department full of people with confederate attitudes. I am certain in saying this, the department apologists will come out of the wood work denying that race is even an issue but they, as do we, know the truth. I am not in the habit of making statements which cannot be backed up with fact so I am well prepared in this instance.
I would encourage you to bring this blog to the attention of as many friends and neighbors as possible so that they can join in on the discussions and make sure that this city hears both sides of the story. We can talk about dealing with issues all we want but unless and until equal consideration is given to all residents, we will continue on in this same mindless cycle. Sincerely a neighbor.
I have been a resident of this city for over 20 years and can not recall ever reading so many negatives things about a chief of police or the police department in whole. Sounds like this chief is out of control and needs to be taken out of office immediatly
If the chief of police told his boss that a pal was up and running why was he not disciplined for lying. If I lied to my boss I would proably have been fired. If I did not follow my bosses direction (open a pal at one location and chose to open it elsewhere) I would have been fired. Whose wagging whose tail.
Funny thing is CalPal.org will get a PAL up and running for free.......set up 501(c)3, give computer support, bylaws etc......so wheres the money?
Now Shelby....this is San Bernardino. We are special and can't use established organizations to do what needs to be done. We have to create our own processes and organizations so that we waste MILLIONS of the taxpayers money getting nothing done.
"Funny thing is CalPal.org will get a PAL up and running for free.......set up 501(c)3, give computer support, bylaws etc......so wheres the money?"
Sounds like a winner. I will propose it to my colleagues. Maybe at the next Ways and Means meeting. It is such a great program, I was a product of one in Union, NJ and will never forget its impact on me. We were poor kids, new step dad, yada yada yada. But anyway, Young Visionaries are running one with a bunch of volunteer Police Officer Association guys and are making a real impact of some of the kids from the projects. I can see some real pain on these young men's faces, but maybe, just maybe, someone will touch the boys' hearts. But, there are two private sponsors ready to step up. The city needs to step aside (bureacrats really are not very good at this kind of thing) and let Young Visionaries and the POA do it themselves, for about ten cents on the taxpayer dollar.
Wendy,
You need at least one paid Officer to get PAL up and running the first year. They apply for grants, get dedicated United Way funds, and partner (a word foreign to Morris) with established programs (like CAPS, YMCA, Police Explorers,Young Visionaries etc) to build the program and save money. Send the Officer to CAL PAL conferences, so they can bring back ideas proven to work in other PAL's. I believe in PAL programs too, copos and kids programs are PROVEN the most successful programs every time. But first we have to get rid of the ill managed Operation Phoenix, what a drain on the budget. Good Luck and thank you for all of your hard work!