PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Clearwater Police officers and kids from a local summer camp came together to play a game of basketball Friday afternoon for fun and to build a bond within the community.
The event at the North Greenwood Recreation Center is something officers and kids looked forward to, though the game got very competitive.
While it’s fun and games, CPD said at the heart of events like this is for officers and kids to bond.
“We do it to try and continue to bridge that gap between law enforcement and officers and just show that all the situations in which they see us are not always going to be a negative one, that they can see us out in the community and getting involved in a positive light,” said Lauren Josey-Filer, a Community Engagement Officer with Clearwater Police.
Thunderbug with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Captain Fear with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Phinley with the Clearwater Threshers, all hyped-up players and the crowd.
The game partnered with Clearwater Police and the Parks and Rec Department.
"It's showing us that they're just not cops at the end of the day,” said student Trason Williams. “They interact with us, and they do different stuff with us. They're not just people that go out there and arrest people or pull people over."
