Photo of Tacoma cops playing basketball with neighborhood kids is a slam-dunk online



TACOMA – As some recent high-profile cases have stirred animosity toward police nationwide, a Tacoma resident took an opportunity to capture a positive moment between police and her community.

The sounds of a ball dribbling and children playing are why Tara Scheidt loves her East Tacoma neighborhood.

Monday night, those sounds were masked by a domestic disturbance call that brought Tacoma police to the neighborhood.

But soon after, Scheidt would witness a moment where responding Tacoma police officer Craig Bennett was playing basketball with the neighborhood kids.

It was moment Scheidt decided to capture on her phone and post to Facebook, where she got hundreds of shares and likes in a matter of hours.

In a time where police officers are being scrutinized across the country for their use of force, 14-year-old Ezekiel Sayavong and 11-year-old Ezekiel Clark admitted  Bennett’s actions caught them by surprise.

“At first, I was kind of nervous because all the stuff happening with cops and kids, and then he came over and it gave me kind of a friendly, warm feeling,” said Sayavong.

It was a lesson that a game of horse wouldn’t just teach these kids -- but an entire community.

“I think it really did change my feelings toward police officers now because now I know not all police officers are like how I’ve been seeing them,” said Sayavong.

>>> Click here for an earlier Q13 FOX News story on this.