
Jason Taylor and Adam Joy were on a mission.
The School Resource Officers from the High Springs Police Department drove through local neighborhoods passing out footballs and basketballs to some of the youth they saw out in the community. Officer Taylor even joined some of them for a quick basketball game at Walter Howard Park.
The balls were donated by the Basketball Cop Foundation (BCF).
According to its website, BCF’s mission is to connect law enforcement agencies across the country with the kids in their communities. It’s accomplished primarily by supplying them with sports equipment, that the agencies donate kids in their community through their patrol officers.
Not only does the initial donation of the equipment open the door to new relationships, but it gives the patrol officers in those areas a place where they know they can interact with kids on a regular basis and continue to build on those relationships.
Beyond supplying sports equipment, the foundation also funds Police/Youth community events, Police/Youth sports tournaments, and funds the renovation and building of basketball courts in apartment complexes, parks, churches, etc.
What makes this mission great is that not only is it simple to execute, but it has been proven to be effective.
Since 2018 the foundation has supplied basketball goals, renovated basketball courts, and sponsored police/community events in approximately 80 different jurisdictions across the country, connecting hundreds of officers with hundreds of kids.
The last photo is of BCF’s founder, Officer Bobby White of the Gainesville Police Department, who brought the balls over to Officer Tillman. The kids were all very happy and started playing with them immediately.
Editor’s Note: Photos from the High Springs Police Department Facebook page, and the Basketball Cop Foundation.