The 25th annual Grassroots and PAL tennis jamboree took place Friday morning.

The partnership was between the Norwalk Stamford Grassroots Tennis and Education nonprofit and the Norwalk Police Athletic League.

Officers joined summer camp students and junior coaches for friendly matches.

"It builds confidence, and it builds relationship with the kids where they can actually approach a police officer and have a conversation with them, just about career development or something they want to talk about," says Chief James Walsh, of the Norwalk Police Department. "Something going on that they may feel apprehensive to talk about."

"They're here to support us," says David Kimani, senior tennis director of the Norwalk Stamford Grassroots Tennis and Education. "They're here to keep us safe. They're here to help us with other things and today, our kids are actually helping the police officers learn the sport of tennis for some of them."

The event celebrated youth development and community partnership through tennis.