By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — On the evening of April 14, as new Police Chief Brian Sullivan continued to accept congratulations following his swearing-in ceremony inside Town Council chambers, veteran Parks & Recreation Director Paul Prachniak naturally approached him and shook his hand.

“I told Brian we had to bring back the basketball program; he just smiled and said, ‘Definitely,’”  Prachniak offered. “I teased him, saying that would be his first official act as chief.”
Confided Sullivan with a grin: “I knew immediately what Prack was talking about — the Cops, Kids & Community Summer Hoops Program.”
Thanks to the efforts of Sullivan’s and Prachniak’s respective departments, not to mention the Prevention Coalition, that program is back for another run.
Approximately 16 high school-age students and four police officers took to the outdoor courts at Manville Park shortly after 6 p.m., Monday to play a half-dozen, six-minute periods of hoop, with Lincoln’s finest rotating among “pick-up” teams of eight individuals. As is the norm, they followed the “five-on-five” concept, with substitutions allowed by lead referee Prachniak after the initial stanza.
Prachniak added that a handful of youngsters from the Parks & Recreation’s “Special Needs Alumni Program” also had been invited to participate. He insisted this is not a league consisting of standings, wins and losses, etc., but instead a fun, intramural type entity.
“This is more of a community involvement program, and I think there are a couple of great benefits to it,” Sullivan noted. “First, the participants are going to see the police in a different perspective. On the flip side, we as officers are going to see young people, the teens, in their realm.
“Hopefully, there will be some kind of connection there for future interaction,” he added. “I view it almost as a trust-building exercise of sorts. It’s an innovative, inexpensive way for high school kids to get to know those who police and serve the town … And, honestly, it’s terrific exercise for everybody.”
Among those police who signed up to take part included Sullivan himself; Sgts. Phil Gould and Jack McRoberts; Det. Dana Packer; Lt. Raymond Bousquet; and Patrolmen Casey Free, Edward Walusiak, Ryan Laboissonniere, Christopher Nightingale and Kevin Marcoux.
On this Opening Night, Sullivan and Gould captained eight youngsters on the white team, while Marcoux and Packer piloted the black squad. As the summer sessions continue, other officers will take part.
“I heard about this at the end of the school year, and I signed up for it right away,” said Lincoln High  sophomore-to-be Ricky Fournier.
“I thought it would be fun. I like being active, and playing the sport I love.
“It’s not totally competitive — as wins and losses don’t count — but it is,” he continued. “I’ll keep track of my own stats in my head, and also whether my team wins … My goal is to make new friends, play with old ones and have a good time. I think it’s pretty cool to play with the police. I’ll get to know them, and — hopefully — they’ll help our team.”
Said Tyler Sinapi, entering his senior year at LHS: “I always play in Parks & Rec sports, and this was another chance. I want to meet new people, including the police, and have fun. I don’t know if I’m a very good basketball player; I guess it depends on the day, but I think this will be fun.”
Actually, the notion of such a program originated in 1997, during a casual conversation between Prachniak and then-Police Sgt. Denis Riel, currently the Lions’ varsity hockey co-coach with Ted Polak.
“Denis and I were talking, and he said, ‘Why don’t we put together a basketball league for the kids, like police do in other towns?’ and I said, ‘You know what? Why don’t we do it one better and have the cops actually play with the kids?’” Prachniak said. “Denis just looked at me and smiled..
“We ran it for two summers, and it went very well,” he added. “Unfortunately, the funding for it fell apart, but now it’s back, and we’re all really excited about it. When kids were signing up for it, they were already asking which officers they’d be playing with.”
Sullivan well recalls participating that inaugural summer.
“I was a Juvenile Detective then, working with the D.A.R.E. program, and — when there was conversation about it — I thought it was a great idea,” he said. Then, with a laugh, he claimed, “I tried to play, but — look — I’m no basketball player! Still, it was a lot of fun, and you got to know the kids. I noticed there was more of a connection with the people involved, and a friendlier nature between everyone. You could see we were breaking down that ‘Us vs. them’ barrier.”
Prachniak admitted that this kind of involvement reinforces the messages that police, his department and Prevention Coalition are trying to instill.
“Those would be don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t bully and try to do the right thing at all times,” Prachniak stated. “I don’t know if this will be directly because of us and this program, but I’d like to think that our efforts provided a positive influence in the past, and will continue to do so.”
Both Sullivan and Prachniak mentioned Town Administrator T. Joseph Almond always has encouraged Lincoln’s departments to work together, and fully backs this program.
“I know Administrator Almond, as a former officer, sees the value of the police working and playing with the community,” Sullivan said. “It’s not all about the negative, bur accentuating the positive.”
The outdoor sessions will continue every Monday night through the final week of August, though sites may change just for a different environment, Prachniak said. He also noted that he has about 10 openings still available for a menial registration charge of $5..Those interested in signing up may do so at the Parks & Recreation Department between 8:45 a.m.-4:20 p.m., Monday-Friday.
For more information, call (401) 333-8418.