Students who were looking for something to do on late start Wednesdays before school started were given a unique opportunity to play basketball with Sunnyvale police in February.
Students of all skill levels were welcomed to drop in anytime between 8 and 9:30 a.m. on the mornings of Feb. 7, 14, 24 and 28 in the Columbia Neighborhood Center/Columbia Middle School gym. Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) Officers already played basketball in the morning and saw a unique opportunity to play with students.
“It goes along perfectly with our values as a department and how we’re always looking for new and diverse ways to engage with the community,” said Capt. Shawn Ahearn.
The idea came about during a Columbia Neighborhood Center (CNC) Joint Task Force Meeting. For the pilot program, students were able to drop in during the special four-week series. It was a great success with 18-20 students dropping in each time. Coordinators with the CNC and DPS will look into continuing the program into the future.
