The New York Dominican Officers Organization (NYDO) and the NYPD Blue Chips hosted the first annual Det. Jason Rivera & Wilbert Mora Basketball Classic at Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 20, 2022.
Rivera and Mora were ambushed and killed in the line of duty by gunman Lashawn McNeil while responding to a domestic violence call in Harlem on January 21, 2022. Constable Rivera, 22, died the same night shortly after the shooting, and 27 year-old Officer Mora died on January 25 after being put on life support to retrieve his organs for a transplant.
The scorching temperatures did not dampen the spirits, nor impact the athletic skills of the 150 youngsters who faced off at Brooklyn’s waterfront baseball stadium in honor of NYPD officers deceased.
NYPD officer Andre Jean-Pierre, who also serves on the NYDO board of directors, explained that the two deceased officers were “big basketball fans” and worked with young people and that the NYDO wanted to do something for the families of officers and bring the community together. .
“They [Rivera and Mora] are lost but never forgotten,” said Jean-Pierre. “We want to show that the NYPD is here for the kids, that we really care, and if we get the chance, we’re going to make a huge difference.”
Referring to the various youth programs like Blue Chips who co-hosted the event with the NYOD, Jean-Pierre said, “I hope, you know, that all of these programs continue to grow, and I hope that we can serve more children.”
NYPD officer Darnell Gatling was immediately on board when Jean-Pierre approached him and asked if the Blue Chips program players wanted to play in the inaugural championship event in honor of their colleagues.
Blue Chips is a citywide youth athletic and mentoring program created by retired NYPD Lt. Michael Almonte and Gatling. The program, now in its second year, is run by the NYPD Patrol Services Bureau and aims to bridge the gap between police and youth.
Gatling admitted it was “a lot of work, but worth it”.
“I come to these events. You see the kids having fun, the excitement not just the kids but also the officers,” Gatling said. “When you hear stories about how much of these bonds are being created or helping kids in the community, kids contacting their coaches when they’re having trouble at school, or you know, they’re having trouble at home. home with their parents and having this safe haven is amazing.
Gatling stressed the importance of all city agencies, including the NYPD and administration, working together to improve the lives of young people.
“When we do that, kids get all the resources they need,” Gatling said. “Our village is coming together. This village is unbreakable.
Gatling and Jean-Pierre were grateful to the NYC Police Foundation, which made a generous donation of $15,000. The money helped fund player shirts, the DJ, trophies, food and drink.
Eight teams represented New York City’s eight patrol boroughs competing for the championship trophy bearing the names of Rivera and Mora. Two players were nominated by each constituency in the respective boroughs, creating “all-star” teams, as Jean-Pierre described the selection process.
Based on “March Madness”, only winning teams qualified for subsequent rounds. The championship was contested between the teams of Queens Borough South and Brooklyn Borough South, with Queens emerging victorious.
Kyshiem Nelson, 16, of Queens, has been part of the NYPD Blue Chips since day one. He described it as a fun experience that allowed him to meet players from other parts of town.
“It gets us off the streets,” Nelson said. “Instead of hanging out in the streets, hanging around the corner, they could play basketball.”
The New York Dominican Officers Organization (NYDO) and the NYPD Blue Chips hosted the first annual Det. Jason Rivera & Wilbert Mora Basketball Classic at Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 20, 2022.
Rivera and Mora were ambushed and killed in the line of duty by gunman Lashawn McNeil while responding to a domestic violence call in Harlem on January 21, 2022. Constable Rivera, 22, died the same night shortly after the shooting, and 27 year-old Officer Mora died on January 25 after being put on life support to retrieve his organs for a transplant.
The scorching temperatures did not dampen the spirits, nor impact the athletic skills of the 150 youngsters who faced off at Brooklyn’s waterfront baseball stadium in honor of NYPD officers deceased.
NYPD officer Andre Jean-Pierre, who also serves on the NYDO board of directors, explained that the two deceased officers were “big basketball fans” and worked with young people and that the NYDO wanted to do something for the families of officers and bring the community together. .
“They [Rivera and Mora] are lost but never forgotten,” said Jean-Pierre. “We want to show that the NYPD is here for the kids, that we really care, and if we get the chance, we’re going to make a huge difference.”
Referring to the various youth programs like Blue Chips who co-hosted the event with the NYOD, Jean-Pierre said, “I hope, you know, that all of these programs continue to grow, and I hope that we can serve more children.”
NYPD officer Darnell Gatling was immediately on board when Jean-Pierre approached him and asked if the Blue Chips program players wanted to play in the inaugural championship event in honor of their colleagues.
Blue Chips is a citywide youth athletic and mentoring program created by retired NYPD Lt. Michael Almonte and Gatling. The program, now in its second year, is run by the NYPD Patrol Services Bureau and aims to bridge the gap between police and youth.
Gatling admitted it was “a lot of work, but worth it”.
“I come to these events. You see the kids having fun, the excitement not just the kids but also the officers,” Gatling said. “When you hear stories about how much of these bonds are being created or helping kids in the community, kids contacting their coaches when they’re having trouble at school, or you know, they’re having trouble at home. home with their parents and having this safe haven is amazing.
Gatling stressed the importance of all city agencies, including the NYPD and administration, working together to improve the lives of young people.
“When we do that, kids get all the resources they need,” Gatling said. “Our village is coming together. This village is unbreakable.
Gatling and Jean-Pierre were grateful to the NYC Police Foundation, which made a generous donation of $15,000. The money helped fund player shirts, the DJ, trophies, food and drink.
Eight teams represented New York City’s eight patrol boroughs competing for the championship trophy bearing the names of Rivera and Mora. Two players were nominated by each constituency in the respective boroughs, creating “all-star” teams, as Jean-Pierre described the selection process.
Based on “March Madness”, only winning teams qualified for subsequent rounds. The championship was contested between the teams of Queens Borough South and Brooklyn Borough South, with Queens emerging victorious.
Kyshiem Nelson, 16, of Queens, has been part of the NYPD Blue Chips since day one. He described it as a fun experience that allowed him to meet players from other parts of town.
“It gets us off the streets,” Nelson said. “Instead of hanging out in the streets, hanging around the corner, they could play basketball.”