PongCop

Indiana State Police play ping-pong with citizens in Cleveland's Public Square on Thursday before protests heated up in the square.

(Joe Noga, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indiana State Police challenged citizens to a ping-pong match in Public Square on Thursday before the afternoon's demonstrations began to heat up.

Amid sweltering heat on the square, officers and citizens took turns stepping forward for a few volleys each on an outdoor table tennis setup adjacent to the square's main speaking platform.

The action was furious, but the competition was friendly. In the end, no true winner was declared, however, the moment was captured by several media outlets and stands as another example of effective community policing tactics employed throughout the week's RNC-related events.