Sergeant Nick Snyder said sometimes during his shift he can make time for the game and to play with the kids in his community.

A Facebook video of a Lancaster police officer and a teenager playing basketball is going viral, and the officer caught in the moment is hoping it will help the department better connect with the community.

Sergeant Nick Snyder said sometimes during his shift he can make time for the game and to play with the kids in his community.

He practiced his jump shot Monday afternoon at the West Elementary School basketball court, after he lost a pickup game to a young man Sunday.

"I need to work on my J (jump shot) for sure, because I was building houses out there,” Sgt. Snyder said.

Snyder said he didn’t know he was being filmed, when someone saw him playing one on one with a Lancaster teen Sunday night. Overwhelmed with happiness, Nikki Benson said she taped it and posted it to Facebook.





"With everything going on in the world today, that, that's just awesome,” Benson said.

Her video has taken off on social media, but Benson didn’t expect it to. She says she only shared it because it showed the good in people.



"A lot of people in the world are taking the evil acts of some people and saying that's how everybody is and it's just not,” Benson said.



As of Monday evening, the Facebook video had more than 35,000 views. Back at the West Elementary basketball courts Monday afternoon, 10TV crews saw another pick-up game with Sgt. Snyder.

This time, Sgt. Snyder coached the boys while playing two-on-two.



"I love doing it. I love talking to these kids I love talking to the people in the community and it's just one way to connect,” Sgt. Snyder said.

Sgt. Snyder said playing basketball or football with the kids in Lancaster is about building trust and sometimes, just listening to them. He says their concerns are different than the adults in the community.

"The best thing is actually when I was playing basketball with him at the end we were on a first name basis. I mean that's, that's where the reward is,” Sgt. Snyder said.