America pe care o iubesc (XI)

In a week that saw public outcry over a police officer placing a Staten Island father in a chokehold (and who tragically died), it’s good to see police officers show their humane side to some local youth in Kansas City.

Police officer Todd Templeton encountered 11-year-old Clark Woods playing basketball on 42nd Street and Brooklyn Avenue and decided to have a little fun with the kids in the neighborhood. Templeton was joined by two other police officers and some local children joined in for some “pick-up” basketball.

Nearby, quick-thinking fan Samuel Lockridge grabbed his smartphone and caught the act of goodwill on camera.

“We’re doing it for the kids. We love the kids out here. We try to do our best interacting with the kids,” Officer Templeton told KMBC. “They see enough of the bad stuff that goes in the neighborhoods just like we do, and we need to get their mind off of that.”

KMBC reports that the police “didn’t expect the level of publicity they’ve received after the pick-up game, but they’re glad people realize that police do much more than write tickets and make arrests.”

KMBC reporter Matt Evans even got in on the action, and was soon down two points due to Woods’ accurate shooting.

“It was a nice experience for me to play with the police because I like to play basketball a lot,” Woods said and added ambitiously, “so it would help me get to the NBA level because I have more experience.”

That’s the kind of feel-good experience that everyone can get behind.