Ingram's December 2022

P O L I C E ME N T O R I N G

PAL: Driving to Improve the Lives of Kids in Our Community

In the 1990’s, Driver’s Education was removed from public schools for budgetary reasons. As a result, many youth in Kansas City, KS who qualify for a learner’s permit or driver’s license fail to get one but drive nonetheless. This is due to a variety of reasons: lack of knowledge about Kansas law, intimidation and fear about engaging with the government bureaucracy, misunderstanding about the proper documents needed, cost. Youth who do not have a license or permit, if they are stopped or involved in an accident, are subject to citations, fines or worse consequences and enter the law en forcement and judicial systems. This is often their first encounter with law enforcement and the legal system, and it is a negative one. The Police Athletic League surveyed several ur ban and one suburban high school in Kansas City, Kan. We wanted to learn how a lack of free Driver’s Ed is affecting kids in our community. What we found: Urban Schools (511 responses) 23% do not have a licensed driver in their home 75% do not have a license 185 drive without a license or permit 72% don’t know how to obtain a license 42% without a license have no one to teach them 21% of drivers are self-taught 6% attended a formal driving course Suburban (356 responses) 100% have a licensed driver in their home 73% have a license 37 drive without a license or permit 23% don’t know how to obtain a license 16% without a license have no one to teach them 4% of drivers are self-taught 31% attended a formal driving course In 2021, officers issued 1,114 tickets in KCK to those age 25 and younger for driving with no license (including operating without proper vehicle license). The Police Athletic League of KCK is working to change these statistics by offering free driver’s edu cation classes to any and all youth who are mem bers of the PAL. Since the program’s inception in 2021, more than 100 kids have graduated from the PAL Driver’s Ed Program and received their permit or license. The PAL is turning what could be a negative ex perience with law enforcement into a positive rela tionship with police officers. Officer Joey Reyes has

been certified as a driver’s education instructor and PAL has been licensed by the State of Kansas as a driver’s education school. PAL provides 9 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of driving time, as well as assistance in gathering the necessary docu ments, and walking the youth through the process. All this is provided at no cost to participants. To learn more about the PAL or to sponsor a PAL student driver go to palkck.com

Officer Reyes teaching a class

www.palkck.com • www.facebook.com/PALKCK/