In our communities, it’s clear that local law enforcement makes it a goal to get to know the people that it serves.

Through National Night Out and various police camps throughout the summer, people of all ages get to know our men and women in uniform. That’s a positive for everyone because it brings our community closer together and bridges the gap that often occurs between everyday citizens and police officers, who don’t often interact.

With that said, a Facebook post making the rounds this weekend drove home that point and brought a smile to our faces.

In West Point, officers Cedarious Thomas and Jayson Perez stopped to play basketball with some kids. On the video, it’s clear that the officers are having a good time, getting a chance to get out of the office and interact with area children.

But it’s also clear that it meant a lot to the kids, who watched a routine game change into something much more when the officers stopped. After all, it’s not every day that a couple of police officers pull over just to play basketball.

These are the kind of moments we need more of in society, not only with law enforcement but just in general. Typically, when someone interacts with a police officer, it usually means that person isn’t having a good day, whether they were pulled over, involved in a wreck or broke the law.

None of that is the officer’s fault, but in a lot of cases, it results in people — especially children — being timid around law enforcement.

Through camps, various outreach efforts, and impromptu basketball games, officers reach back to the community to interact in other ways.

We appreciate these officers taking the time to shoot a little basketball. It may not have seemed like much, but in just 20 minutes, we’re sure they made a few kids’ days.

It was the kind of story you’ll often see go viral around the internet, just because it brings a smile to your face.