Law enforcement officials and young teens are bonding over basketball.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office hosted its annual Basketball for Peace tournament for a day of fun and friendly competition.
Charlene Luma, the chief of staff for the Suffolk DA’s Office, said their goal is to give kids a chance to build positive relationships with local community leaders and to provide a safe space for them to have fun this summer.
“Basketball brings people together. It creates opportunities for people from all different communities to come together,” she said. “The attorneys, the police officers, they come from their neighborhoods. They live in Boston, they live in Revere, they live in Chelsea, they live in Winthrop, they live in Cambridge.”
Police officers, investigators and advocates came out to the event in Dorchester – shooting hoops and cheering on the teams made up of kids between 12 and 15 years old.
“The children are out of school, and we know that at this time there can be a rise in violence, and so one of the things we want is for them to come together, to engage with each other, and know that you can come together in something like basketball and make new friends,” Luma said.
Luma said she hopes the DA’s Office can provide the kids with guidance and mentorship.
“We encourage kids to enjoy the summer, but we really want them to continue with their education, and understand that wow, like maybe one day I can be the district attorney,” she said.
The DA’s office said they will also be hosting a Soccer for Peace event for kids later in the summer.
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