A $300,000 gun violence grant could help Petersburg reinstate its Police Athletic League

PETERSBURG — The police department is close to allocating a $300,000 grant from the state to help with Petersburg's gun violence. It's been vetting programs and organizations for a portion of that funding.

The grant itself was issued from the Office of Attorney General Mark Herring just days before his term in office ended. That grant is part of a $2.5 million distribution of American Rescue Plan Act funds to communities around the state that have been hardest hit by gun violence - Petersburg, Roanoke, Newport News, Richmond, Norfolk and Hampton.

The funds were awarded after the outgoing Attorney General toured localities around the state looking at issues of gun violence.

Petersburg is yet to spend any of that money, but it's getting closer to a final decision.

"We’re vetting different programs that are being presented to us with the focus being on our PAL program, the Police Athletic League, that’s going to be be put in place by our police department," said Police Chief Travis Christian.

Petersburg once had an active Police Athletic League which offered summer camps and activities to the city's youth. The program is no longer in existence, and it's Facebook page hasn't posted since 2016.

Parents in the city have been calling out for their kids to have activities to keep their kids away from crime and gun violence. Restarting the PAL has been one of the answers the city's police chief has promoted when it comes to reducing crime.

The police are continuing to vet program proposals which it gets on a daily basis.

"We have been looking at some of our local residents and individuals that have programs already established,” Christian said.

One partnership said to be considered is a union with Mt. Olivet Baptist Church for the use of facilities as part of the PAL. The church has a gym that could be used for activities and programing.

Christian also mentioned partnering with Another Level Barber and Cosmetology co-owner Westley Nichols. Nichols was once in prison for a decade before getting out and starting ALBC. There he has been both a teacher and a mentor to the students there.

More: From drug-dealer and prisoner to barber and preacher, Petersburg man is now changing lives

"We feel [Nichols] would be beneficial to some of our students and young adults here in the city," Christian said.

The money will have to come back to Petersburg City Council for final approval. The grant award from the office of the Attorney General had specific parameters that had to be met, though the strategy was largely left up to each locality.

You can reach Sean Jones at sjones@progress-index.com. Follow him at @SeanJones_PI. Follow The Progress-Index on Twitter at @ProgressIndex.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg to use $300,000 grant to help restart Police Athletic League