Officers from Greenford Police Station may have to brush up on their football skills, following a match against local members of the community in a show of unity.
Coach Ricky Foster organised the game on October 26 at Grand Union Village, to improve relations between the local police and people from his estate.
The police lost to the community team 4-1, but Mr Foster was keen to stress that there was absolutely no animosity after the game. He said: “There was a brilliant atmosphere, everyone was smiling and just enjoying themselves in a safe environment.”
Mr Foster decided to set up the game after he thought relations between the people on his estate and the police was tense and misconceived.
“I felt as if people on my estate thought the police were against us. I wanted to have a football match to show them not all officers are the same and we can work together. They are a service which protects us and we should feel safe around them.” he said.
The game was a success and Mr Foster hopes to organise more in the future so people in the area can continue to meet and get to know each other.
He said: “The game united everyone together, before I didn't know my neighbours as we didn't have a reason to gather together.
“It's a start to a change in the community, we have more respect for each other. We see the police walking round the estate, say hello, and then go our separate ways because they know us now. Instead of stopping and searching us, they ask if we are okay.”
Mr Foster runs a football club called GUVFC (Grand Union Village Football Club) and has an under 14s coaching club every Sunday from 11:30-1:30 at the Grand Union ground. First session is free, £2 per session after. Yearly membership is £35.
