On Thursday February 26, and Friday February 27, 2015, a group of nine professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including ministry, police officials, education administrators and the Basketball Federation of Georgia Executives, were in Albany.
The Republic of Georgia group was in Albany to be introduced to the integration of police into athletic organizations. They also looked at youth sports and police coaching initiatives here in order to develop similar initiatives in Georgia.
Their visit began with an informal reception hosted by Albany PAL, and training began at 9:45 a.m. Thursday at Albany Family Court with a presentation by Colonie Police Chief Steven Heider on the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police. Chief Heider, a former president of the state association, also discussed an anti-crime organization, Fight Crime Invest in Kids, which seeks to find out what prevents kids from becoming criminals and shares that research with policymakers and the general public.
At 11:00 a.m. Albany Family Court Judge Gerard Maney, gave his perspective on the importance of programs like PAL and how they relate to the work of Family Court.
Also, at LaSalle School in Albany, Executive Director Bill Wolf discussed developing better outcomes for troubled young men and how it relates to the police.
The group also visited the Albany PAL Center, where PAL Executive Director Sgt. (Ret.) Lenny Ricchiuti and former Albany Police Chief and PAL founder Bob Wolfgang gave the group a tour of the facilities. The Georgian participants met with PAL staff to learn the elements of organizing and managing programs, recruiting youth, engaging police officers, and funding programs. Georgian participants also watched PAL basketball games and spoke with the youth players and their parents.
On Friday, the group toured Steven’s Horse Farm to meet police officers and horses that serve as the Mounted Police Force and watch a Police K-9 demonstration. The goup also visited Albany Police Department Headquarters where Chief Steven Krokoff, Deputy Chief Brendan Cox, and Lt. Mike Tremblay discussed community policing initiatives, the department’s history with PAL and school and neighborhood based programs and policing.
The group also had lunch with Chief Krokoff, Deputy Chief Cox and Lieutenant Tremblay at H.Q where Chief Krokoff gifted the members of the group with an Albany Police Department challenge coin.
The afternoon was spent at Hackett Middle School where School Resource Officer George Brice explained to the Georgian delegation the value of police involvement in school activities.
The group’s itinerary and stay is organized by PH International, based in Waitsfield, Vermont. Prior to their Albany visit, the group was in Boston and will travel to New York on March 4 after visiting in Vermont. This Georgian Police as Leaders in Athletics for Youth (GE PLAY) program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs under the SportsUnited International Sports Programming Initiative and implemented by PH International. PH International strives toward a world where individuals and communities work across boundaries to address challenges where there are solutions. PH International builds strong global communities by fostering civic engagement, cross-cultural learning and increased opportunities in the digital age.
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