Coach Jamil Hood is running his usual circuit of drills, but this time he’s got some new faces participating: two cadets from the Albany police department, trying their hand at dribbling through the cones.

“These police officers here are putting a lot of time in by just being here today, because they are putting in the extra hours on their own time to be here to learn the communities before they get started,” Hood said.

Hood is part of a program pairing Albany officers in training with volunteers to teach them about their communities. Each neighborhood has a liaison, offering a unique perspective of how their neighborhood functions.

“Law enforcement officers are partially heroes; they go out and do a lot of different things. So we want to make sure that we are connecting in a positive way with our law enforcement officers,” Hood said.

Even Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins got in on a few drills. He says trainees should be spending just as much time in their communities as they are in the classroom.

“It’s another thing to actually get out and talk with the people who are actually in the community, to learn the history of the community; to learn all the dynamics and all the different neighborhoods. To hear how the people in this community want to be policed,” Hawkins said.

In between drills, Hood takes the time to get to know these cadets, and offer his lifetime of knowledge he’s carried from growing up in Albany.

“Saying hello and hi, especially with the kids. You know, ‘hey man, it’s OK, keep your chin up,’ ” Hood explains to the trainees.

Hood prefers to use his weekly time with the cadets to connect them with the kids he trains. The trust between the next generation and these future officers, he says, is essential.

“It opens up their eyes to see the other side and say, you know, ‘it is cool to be a cop,’ ” Hood said. “We need a good variety of law enforcement officers in our community, so it’s good for these guys to see that at this age so they can strive for it.”

As the hoops session comes to an end, Hood uses the time to reflect for both the kids and the cadets.

“It’s what you said before about how a lot of people are told not to be a cop because this or that. Anyone can do it; you just have to keep yourself on the straight and narrow,” said Tristan Marcello, one of the trainees.