Blue Events - Police playing basketball with local kids: Residents were happy to see officers on their streets for something good.

Police playing basketball with local kids: Residents were happy to see officers on their streets for something good.
By Jeffrey Stewart

The Garfield Police Community Affairs Division joined forces with the founder of the Basketball Cop Foundation. You may remember Officer Bobby White. He was the Gainesville, Florida officer called to a neighborhood because of a noise complaint. But instead of busting the kids - he jumped in. The dash cam video went viral, receiving millions of views. Officer White used his fame to start the Basketballcop Foundation. Through donations, the foundation provides basketballs and goals to cities that need positive police influence - setting up neighborhood events like this to bring the community together.

After noticing Garfield juvenile resident Jared Morris playing basketball on a basket without a backboard, Sgt. Jeff Stewart reached out to Officer White via Instagram and sent a picture of the broken set asking if there was anything he could do. Within minutes he replied, asking for the address of police HQ to send the new Spalding regulation hoop set.

The guys and girls from the Police Department put the hoop set together wheeled it down the street and surprised Jared Morris and his friends with a 5 on 5 pickup game with the new set up. All are thankful for Officer White and the Basketballcop Foundation for his #Hoopsnotcrime initiative.

Sgt. Jeff Stewart is a 20-year veteran of the Garfield NJ Police Department, currently assigned to the Community Affairs Division. Jeff has had a career-long passion to bridge the gap between cops and the community. Jeff is currently the Vice President of the NJ State Community Affairs Officers Association, which has given him the opportunity to teach both in-service and criminal justice students the importance of positive community engagement and diversity within law enforcement as a whole. Jeff has collaborated with some of the top law enforcement leaders across the globe within the community affairs space. Jeff maintains an open mind and is always willing to learn and collaborate with others, both law enforcement and civilian, to make the world a little better for all of us.

Contact Email- jstewart@garfieldpolice.org. Instagram DM@officerstewart