It's not a punch line to a joke — it's how Hoops 4 Heroes brings kids, law enforcement and firefighters together for a game of basketball

It's not a punch line to a joke — it's how Hoops 4 Heroes brings kids, law enforcement and firefighters together for a game of basketball

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It's not a punch line to a joke — it's how Hoops 4 Heroes brings kids, law enforcement and firefighters together for a game of basketball

Police officers and firefighters showed up on a court Friday for a friendly game of basketball, but their goal was lofty: to reach kids in touchy situations.

Law enforcement says events like these are crucial for the communities they serve.

“It’s just a way they can see us not in uniform, off-duty and no gear on. It’s just a game of basketball, something everyone can play,” Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Traveon Jones said.

Hoops and heroes on the same floor gives the public a new perspective on first responders.

“They get to see law enforcement in a different view,” Jones said.

The cops and firefighters laced up at Millwood High School to show kids they can play on the same team.

“We split up the kids participating in the camp into two teams, half with police and half with fire,” said Robert Goes, cofounder of Hoops 4 Heroes.

He said the group wants to reach out to kids that have specific circumstances.

“The kids we’re trying to target were kids who had at least one parent incarcerated,” Goes said.

Through the game, the founders of Hoops 4 Heroes hope to build relationships with kids who deal with circumstances they can’t control.

"They may not look at police officers in a favorable light, so just setting up something that's friendly but also competitive,” Goes said.

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