A Conversation with Hector Tavarez By Alanna Stoloff
The Police Athletic League is built on the belief that strong relationships and positive mentorship can change lives, and Captain Hector Tavarez embodies that mission through his dedication to local youth. A retired captain from the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Tavarez believes that creating positive connections at an early age leads to lifelong success.
For 36 years, he has worked with PAL to provide children and teens with a safe space to grow, learn, and develop confidence while building trust between young people and law enforcement.
Through sports, STEM programs and community events, PAL offers structure and guidance at a time when it matters most. Yet, Tavarez knows the impact goes far beyond the playing field. It is about instilling respect, responsibility and teamwork that shape young lives for years to come.
Here’s an excerpt from our Coastal Conversation:
AS: What is the mission of PAL and why is it so important for youth?
HT: The main idea behind it is to basically create a connection between law enforcement, the community and the children in our community to build a positive relationship.
AS: How do PAL programs help build trust between kids and law enforcement?
HT: The idea is to bring local police officers in direct contact with kids in the community. Throughout the year, our PAL has numerous events, probably the biggest one being our Shop with a Hero, which brings officers from many municipalities in Atlantic County into contact with kids in the community.
AS: What types of activities does PAL offer?
HT: Our programs range from athletic sports like football, soccer, lacrosse and volleyball played on our indoor turf field. We also offer STEM activities for kids from first grade through high school. That includes hands-on workshops and our flagship robotics team, the FIRST Tech Challenge team. They build custom robots and compete on a 12-foot by 12-foot field. The team includes students from five local high schools. They are five-time New Jersey state champions and ranked 25th in the world out of more than 7,000 teams.
AS: What changes have you seen in children who participate?
HT: In the last 36 years, a lot has changed. Kids seem less interested in getting out of their homes and being actively involved. Many are stuck on phones, social media, and video games. It’s almost a struggle to get kids to come out to play now.
AS: Why is mentorship such a key part of your work?
HT: We try to get quality mentors who share their values and knowledge with the kids. Having mentors in your life as a young person is critically important to developing emotionally and socially. Having mentors involved becomes a critical element of what we do.
AS: What challenges does PAL face today?
HT: Right now, the biggest challenge is financial. We own and operate our facilities, and as a nonprofit it’s always challenging to raise enough money to run our programs. Rising utility and insurance bills have posed tremendous challenges.
AS: Do you do fundraisers?
HT: Yes, we hold fundraisers throughout the year. Our annual Jail or Bail fundraiser helps raise scholarships to offset rising registration fees.
AS: Does PAL help build trust between kids and officers?
HT: That’s the intended purpose to create a bond between officers and youth and build trust in the community. There’s nothing better than a young police officer getting to know kids early. As those kids grow into adults, they become strong allies because they actually know each other.
AS: How can families or the community get involved?
HT: We try to offer interesting programs, whether STEM or traditional sports, to earn the trust of kids and their parents. The best way to get involved is to visit ehtpal.org to register, volunteer, mentor or donate. We’re also open to new creative ideas if we can facilitate them.
AS: Is PAL part of a national organization?
HT: We do not participate in the national organization. Our programs far outpace it, so there’s no benefit for us to participate.
AS: Any success stories?
HT: We’ve had plenty. I once chased a troubled kid on a motorcycle when I was a police officer. Today he’s successful and serves on our board. We’ve had kids go on to top universities for engineering. It really makes a difference in the lives of our kids.
AS: What is your vision for PAL’s future?
HT: We’ve accomplished a lot. The one goal that remains is to make everything free, so that all of our programs are at no charge. With hundreds of volunteers supporting programs throughout the year and recent state grant funding helping sustain operations, PAL continues working toward that goal, empowering youth, strengthening families, and building a more connected community.
Thank you, Mr. Tavarez, for being this week’s guest in Coastal Conversations and for sharing the powerful impact of the Police Athletic League. Your dedication shows how mentorship and community connection can truly change young lives.
Coastal Conversations highlights people in our community who are making a meaningful impact. If you know someone who would be a great fit for a future column, please contact me at ShoreCoastalConversations@gmail.com.
From the shore to your door, let’s keep the conversation going.
