At a time when young people’s encounters with the police have become tenuous and, at times deadly, members of a Northeast community are making an effort to ensure that both groups become familiar with one another in a positive setting.
A group of student-athletes recently played a game of basketball against officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) during what was called the “Halloween Bash.” This matchup at Riggs-Lasalle Community Center set the stage for future gatherings intended to ease relations between local law enforcement and District youth.
The student ballers, part of the revived Amateur Athletic Union’s Team Dynasty, defeated the MPD officers 49-43 in what was an action-packed game.
Antoine Johnson, Jr., a sophomore shooting guard from Roosevelt Senior High School in Northwest, scored a significant number of points on the evening of Oct. 27. He told the Informer that he applied pressure, all in the spirit of winning and sparking some friendly competition with the law enforcement officials.
“When I had the dunk, I hyped up the crowd and motivated my team,” Antoine said, later reflecting on the significance of this particular police encounter. “This makes us comfortable with the police in general. It helps them to build a relationship with the community knowing that they’re not the bad guys.”
A Night of Competition, and Mutual Respect
The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association and Friends of Riggs-Lasalle Recreation Center counted among the sponsors of the Halloween Bash. Dozens of parents and family members gathered in the bleachers with hot dogs, chips and other treats in hand.
Meanwhile, Al Nice Hebron of Nice Entertainment Concepts played tunes throughout the game that set the tone for a night of fun.
Both teams engaged in a matchup that, at times, became competitive. During the first half, MPD and Team Dynasty kept the scoring gap close, with members of both teams missing crucial shots. By the end of the first half however, as both teams warmed up, the gap widened a bit.
Team Dynasty maintained a 23-15 lead that intensified the game.
During the second half, the game got more physical as MPD’s players increased their defense and took the ball to the paint. Even so, Team Dynasty still maintained a lead to pull out the victory. As they got more comfortable with each other, some of the young players channeled the spirit of Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry, successfully hitting many three-pointers.
At the end of the matchup, the young men shook the officers’ hands and took photos with them in the middle of the court. Special guests included Rob Nickens, basketball coach at Roosevelt Senior High School in Northwest, along with Frank Garza, father of Minnesota Timberwolves power forward-center Luka Garza.
D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) later made an appearance, shooting baskets and speaking with community members, including Ronnie Brooks, Team Dynasty coach and event organizer.
Brooks called the event a crucial step in further ingratiating police officers with the young people in the Riggs Park community. He hinted at a future collaboration with Garza, co-founder of the Luka Garza Academy, through which youth at Riggs-Lasalle Community Center can master the fundamentals of basketball.
“People don’t know the police like I did growing up. One of my first basketball coaches was a police officer so I never had that fear,” said Brooks, a Riggs Park community member of 30 years who coordinated the Halloween Bash with basketball coach Carlos Thomas. “I want the young people and the officers to know each other and open up. Now when they see the officers [on their beat], they will remember this day.”
Amid a Change in Tone, Both Sides Embrace an Opportunity
In the years since George Floyd’s murder brought about calls for policing reforms, there’s been a change in tenor about police-community relations.
For instance, some elected officials, parents, and teachers have increasingly embraced school resource officers as a means of quelling violence taking place in school buildings. The D.C. Council has even taken steps to increase the number of MPD officers.
During an upcoming D.C. Council’s legislative meeting in November, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), a former Michigan Park and Riggs Park resident, will introduce emergency legislation that reactivates an anti-loitering law and loosens restrictions that she said hinders police officers’ ability to carry out their duties.
Bowser announced the emergency legislation at MPD’s Fourth District headquarters during the latter part of October. Three years earlier, protesters stormed that police station in the aftermath of Karon Hylton-Brown’s police-involved murder. Weeks before Bowser’s announcement, activists converged on MPD central headquarters in Judiciary Square in demand of accountability for police officers who’ve killed Kevin Hargraves-Shird and other civilians in recent years.
Meanwhile, community members living around Riggs-Lasalle Community Center are dealing with crime, albeit not at the rate seen in other parts of the District.
As of Nov. 1, MPD police service area 406, which includes Riggs-Lasalle Community Center, has experienced 36 incidents of crime, according to data compiled by the police department. Theft, including that from and of motor vehicles, accounted for a significant portion of incidents.
MPD also recorded one robbery this year that happened not too far from Riggs-Lasalle Community Center.
On Oct. 27, MPD officer Phillippe Slater entered the community center, not as a patrol officer, but as a community member going toe to toe with some young ballers. For him, the competition proved essential because he got to see the youth in a different light.
“They’re really talented. I love that they’re competitors,” Slater told the Informer as he spoke about Team Dynasty. “They made me play harder. I see some of the young people’s faces and I check out the recreation center sometimes. It’s good to see them on the street [next time] so they’re more comfortable.”
Hunter Brown, a point guard and shooting guard, said he embraced the opportunity to play with a new team for one night and take his skills to the next level. He stayed in the game for several minutes as his father, Gerald Brown, looked on with pride and enthusiasm.
After the game, Hunter had much to reflect on, not only about the game, but lessons that he said he’ll take with him in the later stages of his life and career.
“We had good chemistry as a team. We passed the ball around,” said Hunter, a junior at Archbishop Carroll High School in Northeast. “I learned that I need to shoot the ball more when I get a [chance to make a] shot. I never did anything like this. It was cool to participate with the police. This brings the community together to help people more.”
This story was very entertaining and informative.