MOBILE, Ala. — Mobile police and firefighters traded uniforms for jerseys this week, squaring off on the basketball court at Herndon Park on Sage Avenue to show off newly installed lighting.
The new lights mean the court can be used after dark. District 1 Councilman Fred Richardson, who said the project had been about two years in the making, called seeing the lights switch on ‘a dream come true.’
Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste said the lighting gives local children more time on the court and helps keep them engaged in positive activity. ‘As long as they’re out here playing ball, that’s usually a good thing,’ he said.
Battiste also pointed to a public-safety benefit, saying added lighting gives the surrounding community ‘a sense of security’ and can help deter crime. The police and fire departments, he joked, were simply there to enjoy the game.