INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a recent string of violence, community leaders and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department took matters into their own hands.
They met kids where they are: Playing basketball. Community leaders here want to give the kids a safe space to connect both on the court and off.
IMPD, along with community groups Rise and Like No Other, joined forces Thursday at the Frederick Douglass Park gym on the city’s east side. The gathering was initially an opportunity to empower young girls as the city gears up for the WNBA All-Star Festivities, but instead, more boys than girls attended.
But that didn’t matter to Nadya Warren. To her, seeing police officers at the gym was nice.
“It’s cool to see they’re in the community doing good things,” Warren said.
Police officers, community leaders, and kids participated in group discussions, worked on craft projects, and discussed non-violent approaches.
“We’re really pushing for things to be more consistent,” said Iris Farries, an IMPD officer. “More of these events, because when you start to see the same kids and they start to see you, that bond is there, and they want to open up.”
This gathering comes after recent shootings over Fourth of July weekend that left a total of five people dead and 23 people injured. IMPD said it’s focusing on community building.
“These kids gather downtown because there’s generally nothing offered safe in their neighborhoods and they venture out,” said Anthony Hamilton, outreach coordinator for Like No Other
Hamilton said events like this give kids, leaders, and police a fun safe space.
17-year-old Dae-Shawn Tyler thinks people in general stereotype him and the Black community.
“They think we’re going to do something bad when really we’re not,” Tyler said. “Most of us want to go to college, get a career, and do better in sports and entertainment.”
Tyler said he’s eyeing Notre Dame for college.
Tyler said having an event like this with cops is powerful.
“It felt good because they’re just normal human beings,” Tyler said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
