There is no question that tensions are high between the black community and law enforcement these days, considering all that has happened in the past few weeks — the Philando Castile and Alton Sterling killings, followed by an ambush-style shooting from a lone gunman that left five police officers dead in Dallas.
But it’s important to be reminded that, despite the strained relationship, good community policing still exists across the country. One of those reminders was provided this week in the form of a pretty awesome video out of Lafayette, Indiana, that shows police officers playing basketball with some local kids.
The video, which you can watch above, was uploaded to Facebook by a woman named Kristin Pearl, who wrote that “in the face of all that is going on in America right now, it was refreshing to drive into Lafayette and see this.”
Joining a game of basketball is such a simple thing — and it’s actually something we’ve seen before — but simple things can also go a long way in helping to establish positive relationships between police departments and the citizens they’ve sworn to protect.
Getting involved in the community and having positive interactions with young locals is undoubtedly a huge step in helping to create a more mutually trusting and respectful environment, so something as simple as this shouldn’t be overlooked.
(Via Fox 59)
