Events
Battle of the Badges
Spetmeber 11,2010
Ava Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol
5455 W. Valencia RdTucson, AZ
Battle of the Badges is a non-profit fundraising event started in 2008 to raise funds for the Police Athletics/Activities League. It has become an annual boxing event where certified Public Safety employees are able to compete against each other for bragging rights and title belts. All the money raised benefits the Tucson Police Athletics League.
While the fighters are amateurs the event is held with the same care and consideration that is given to professional matches. The promoters of the event are Peace Officers with the Tucson Police Department and work with the Pasqua Yaqui Boxing Commissioners and Tribal Council to ensure that all rules, guidelines and safety measures are met. The fights are referee’d by professional boxing referees and a professional fight doctor is at ringside.
Prior to participating in the Battle of the Badges fighters are required to be medically cleared by a physician. The training is rigorous and most fighters start physically preparing at least 6 months in advance. Boxers are matched by height, weight, age and boxing experience by Roger Woods who is the only certified matchmaker certified by the Arizona Boxing Commission.
Participation
Participants must be Public Safety employees, meaning law enforcement or fire personnel. Previous battles have included participants from 17 different Public Safety agencies from Arizona and neighboring states to include the Tucson Police Department, Border Patrol, Arizona Department of Corrections, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Northwest Fire, U.S. Marshall’s office, Department of Public Safety and the Pasqua Yaqui Police Department.
The 2008 battle had 13 fights where all the participants were local public safety employees; over 5000 people attended that event. The 2009 battle had participants from as far away as El Paso. The 2010 battle will include 20 fights with expected participants from both Texas and California.
Who Benefits?
Proceeds from this event will go towards rebuilding the Tucson Police Athletics/Activity League (P.A.L.). P.A.L. is a youth crime prevention program that builds trust between police officers and youth by utilizing recreational activities and education. P.A.L. believes that strong positive attitudes towards police officers can be developed early if the positive contact is made early enough in a young person’s life. This contact can help to guide youth in their life to make more mature and positive decisions. Under the PAL program a young person’s awareness about the role of police officers is expanded through supervised activities that involve law enforcement. It gives young people the opportunity to interact with officers in positive circumstances allowing them to learn to respect the laws that officers enforce. It also allows officers the opportunity to reinforce those positive values and attitudes instilled by their parents. This interaction benefits the youth, the officers, their families and their communities.
Sponsors
Battle of the Badges is sponsored by the
Tucson Police Officers Association,
Ava Amphitheater at Casino del Sol,
Clear Channel Broadcasting.
