Our Purpose

THE mission

Provide free athletic opportunities to at-risk and economically disadvantaged youth
Encourage discipline, self-esteem and positive moral values within youth participants through healthy competition
Build positive relationships between police officers, youth participants, their families and the greater Omaha community
Reduce crime and decrease juvenile delinquency by keeping at-risk youth off the streets and involved in constructive activities
Bring together youths of different groups and cultures to facilitate cross cultural understanding and respect

THE vision

Police Athletics for Community Engagement (PACE) is working to take our athletic program city-wide.

This endeavor will provide athletics to kids in each section of Omaha that normally would not participate in organized sports. We hope to build partnerships with organizations throughout the city and help provide affordable athletics. We also want to emphasize the importance of education in athletics, as well as our anti-gang message. Our goal is to build stronger relationships between neighborhoods and the officers that patrol those communities and most importantly help make Omaha a better place to be — one kid at a time.

THE DIFFERENCE

What makes us different than other programs?

We don’t wait for parents to sign up their children — most will not. We actively go out and find them. You don’t have a uniform? Doesn’t matter – come play for us. Don’t have a coach? Come play for us. Can’t afford to play? No worries, we have you covered. All we ask from our kids is to stay out of trouble and give 100%.

The history

THE MOTIVATION

In the spring of 2005, founder, Antonio (Tony) Espejo, an Omaha Police Officer with the Gang Squad, attended a gang symposium in Florida. A break-out session featured speaker, Robert Muzikowski, a successful businessman who began an inner-city baseball league in one of the toughest neighborhoods of Chicago. His theory was that if you can get kids to play together at age 11, it is hard for them to shoot each other at age 16.

After returning to Omaha, Tony realized that for every gang member he arrested and removed from the streets, there would be two to three more kids to take their place. Various gangs existed in South Omaha and gang violence was high. Something had to be done at the source of the problem.

THE Beginning

When Tony returned to South Omaha, the neighborhood he grew up in, he noticed a lack of affordable sports programs for local kids, especially in a community plagued by gang violence. Many of the programs that had been available during his childhood were no longer around, but he saw a strong love for soccer among the youth. With this in mind, Tony founded PACE to provide kids with an alternative to gang involvement through sports.

In the fall of 2005, Tony and a few fellow officers launched the first PACE soccer league. They recruited kids from South Omaha, went door-to-door for donations, and even provided transportation for players. The league grew rapidly, starting with six teams in 2005 and expanding to over 2,000 participants by 2016, reaching more than 5,800 kids by 2019. PACE continued to offer opportunities to children who might otherwise be drawn into gangs due to financial or family challenges.

In 2009, PACE expanded to include a baseball league, further engaging kids who weren’t interested in soccer. The program not only provided athletic opportunities but also helped build stronger relationships between the community and law enforcement. PACE’s success is rooted in the belief that when given the chance, kids will choose positive activities, such as sports, over gang involvement.

In 2016, the league had over 2,000 kids participating, and in 2019 PACE had over 5,800 program participants.

THE IMPLEMENTATION

Police Athletics for Community Engagement (PACE) focuses on reaching kids whose families can't afford sports programs like those at the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club. We recruit kids by neighborhood and make it easy for them to get involved, often with older kids stepping in as coaches for younger teams. This helps build community support and encourages adults to engage with the program.

PACE aims to develop leadership by teaching older kids how to be responsible for their teams. They learn important skills like punctuality, organizing practices, and leading by example. Many older participants go on to help coach and mentor younger siblings or neighborhood kids, passing on their knowledge and fostering a sense of community.

In addition to partnering with local organizations like the South Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, PACE offers scholarships to help kids participate in more advanced training with select teams. This has allowed our soccer and baseball programs to grow significantly, with soccer reaching over 4,000 participants by 2019 and baseball attracting over 700 players annually. These programs also provide a unique opportunity for kids to interact with police officers in a positive setting, building stronger relationships within the community.