‘Basketball brings people together’: Lincoln officers and youth compete in friendly game

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Lincoln Police Department and the Malone Center partnered Thursday night for a game of basketball.

This was the second year of Unity in the Community, in which police officers and kids go head-to-head at Northeast High School.

The goal is to help build relationships between youth and law enforcement.

Standford Bradley Jr., the Malone Center’s assistant director, said the center strives to make kids aware of the center and its programs through this event.

“We were sitting around brainstorming things that we could do to get more kids involved in the program,” Bradley said. “Athletics came to our mind ’cause basketball brings people together.”

He and Capt. Tarvis Banks of LPD both said their highlight of the event is hearing the kids share their excitement with the officers.

The event is memorable for both the kids and officers as the days that follow.

“After the game, we run into kids in the community and they say, ‘We played you guys in the game!'” Banks said. “So it’s fun to have something to talk about with them.”

The Malone Center and Lincoln Police hope to host more events like this one in the years to come.