After several high-profile incidents between police and the people they protect, including in Ferguson, New York City and Charleston, the relationship between the two remains in the spotlight.
Friday night the squeaking of tennis shoes took the place of police radios. Orlando police officers traded their uniforms in for t-shirts and shorts.
Nearly 100 children played their favorite sport, basketball, with officers as part of the new “Ballin’ After Dark” program at the Downtown Recreation Complex.
The four-hour event is part of Orlando’s “My Brother’s Keeper,” an initiative the city is doing to engage children in positive activities with mentors.
“You get to play with your community and play with your friends at night and just have fun,” said 12-year-old Antonio Jones. “It’s kind of fun for the community because to show that the officers are not just killing people and to show that they actually want to help.”
The City of Orlando wanted to find a common thread with the children, the one thing that united many of them: their passion for basketball.
“We didn’t pick basketball. We sat down and met with the kids and they picked basketball – we asked them,” said Orlando Recreation Director Rodney Williams.
“My Brother’s Keeper” is a component in the city’s proactive efforts to prevent and reduce juvenile crime by engaging the youth in positive activities, providing them mentors and offering safe environments for them to grow and learn.
During the games the cops and the kids learn from each other. It's more than just a game for many, it’s a bonding those playing hope will continue into adulthood.
The ‘Ballin’ after Dark’ events take place every first and third Friday of the month from 8 P.M. until midnight at the Downtown Recreation Complex in Orlando at 363 North Parramore Avenue.