Sheriff’s Department invites community to basketball, lunch event

The community is invited to challenge Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department employees to a game of basketball and stay for lunch Saturday as part of a community event at Mellis Park in west Modesto.

The event is designed to give community members, and youths in particular, an opportunity to interact with law enforcement in a positive environment.

At least 20 kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Stanislaus County will participate in the first few basketball games, but anyone else interested is welcome after that, said sheriff’s Detective Greg Buck, who along with Modesto NAACP President Frank Johnson organized the event.

The Boys & Girls Club last week opened a modular building next to the King-Kennedy Memorial Center at Mellis Park. It’s the organization’s first location not at a school, so it is available to more children.

Saturday’s event will include free barbecue and specialty units like the mounted unit and the Special Vehicle Operation unit.

Buck said he hopes to host similar events in the future in other areas served by the Sheriff’s Department, like south Modesto and the airport neighborhood.

The basketball games start at 11 a.m. with lunch around noon. The event is expected to end around 2 p.m.

Mellis Park is located at California Avenue and South Martin Luther King Drive.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 6:42 PM with the headline "Sheriff’s Department invites community to basketball, lunch event."