NYPD officers take on middle school ‘kings and queens’ in chess tournament

The tournament organizer stated he wanted the officers there to “break down barriers” and help students build strong relationships with them

March 23, 2024 07:00 AM

By Joanna Putman
Police1

NEW YORK — NYPD officers faced off with the Kings and Queens of a local middle school in a chess showdown, PIX11 reported.

The matchup occurred March 19 in the cafeteria at Baychester Middle School, according to the report. Officers from the NYPD’s 47^th precinct took on the members of the Young Kings and Queens Chess Club to foster community in the neighborhood.

“We just want to break down all them barriers,” Romeo Davis, the tournament’s organizer, told PIX11. “All them narratives. All the bad rep about each other and we just try to start something new, and the only way you going to build a seed — with any seed it takes it to grow, it needs water, it needs sun, it needs soil. Right here we just planted a seed today.”

At least one of the officers needed a quick chess refresher, according to the report. The students were glad to help out.

“They were really kind,” student Oscar Zambrano told PIX11. “They were having fun. I was actually teaching one of the officers, Officer Diaz. He’s an amazing guy.”

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