Police officers, youths make and maintain a brotherly bond
The fluorescent orange plastic sphere crashes into the pins on lane 13 at the Zone 28 bowling alley in Harmar. It’s a strike, and Jason Lando is pumped. He flexes like a studio wrestler and gets enthusiastic “air” high-fives from his teammate and little brother, Jayden, 12.
There’s a wager on the line — losers have to do pushups — and heading into the 10th frame, they’re almost tied with Jared Latchaw and his brother, Jamari, 11.
“Gimme an elbow high-five, Jay!” Mr. Lando says through his mask.
The scene is unremarkable — four guys bowling and horsing around during the pandemic — but there’s an important subtext: Mr. Lando and Mr. Latchaw are white Pittsburgh police officers, and Jayden and Jamari aren’t their siblings. They’re African American boys the officers mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, where I met them as a BBBS board member.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions and continuing protests over the death of George Floyd and others in police custody, the officers and boys have maintained their close relationships.
“This is just something that’s really important,” Mr. Lando said. “It’s important to me. It’s important to Jayden that he has this exposure as well. [Getting together] two times a month is not a lot to ask when it comes to hopefully helping to mentor someone and shape their future.”
May 15 marked 20 years since Mr. Lando graduated from the Pittsburgh police academy and took his first patrol in the Hill
District. He grew up down the block from the city’s Zone 4 station and watched squad cars zoom up and down Northumberland Street in Squirrel Hill.
“I was in awe. I wanted to race around the city and help people and take bad guys to jail and make a difference.”
He has worked his way up the ranks to become commander of vice and narcotics, but his 20th year has been the most challenging.
“This has been the toughest year of my career and the toughest of most police officers’ careers already because of the pandemic. Officers are already wiped out from dealing with the virus. Morale is very low. They’re working double shifts, worried about taking care of their families. And then George Floyd’s death was just devastating. It was criminal. It should not have happened.”
Mr. Lando was most recently commander of the Zone 5 station in East Liberty and is keenly aware of the tension between police and residents of predominantly Black neighborhoods.
“I just knew there was a lot of work to be done between the police and the community. I could see the officers didn’t feel supported. They were very stressed all the time, and there wasn’t a lot of cooperation. On the other side, the community felt disconnected from the police. I think at times they felt their voices weren’t heard.
“In the end, we all want the same things. We all want safe neighborhoods and to be heard, to feel that our voices are heard and feel supported, whether you’re a police officer or a community member.”
Nearly four years ago, he became involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters’ “Bigs in Blue” program developed to foster engagement between kids and police. That experience led Mr. Lando to apply to become a Big Brother. After a lengthy vetting process, he was paired with Jayden Wise, who was then 10 years old.
“I definitely had some fears. Would a Black family be open to having a white cop as a mentor for their child? That’s a genuine concern because you see what’s going on across the country, where police officers are being painted as racists. So in the back of my mind, it was something that weighed heavily on me.”
Despite that, Mr. Lando has developed a strong relationship with Jayden’s mother, Keisha Wise.
“He really enjoys spending time with Jason,” Ms. Wise said. “Before [COVID-19], they would get together once a week. He would go over and help Jason and his mom cook dinner and have Sunday dinner with them. He’s like part of the family.”
When they aren’t hanging out or getting ice cream, Mr. Lando teaches Jayden life skills and helps with homework. But the lessons go both ways, he says.
“He’s taught me how important it is to see other people’s perspective on things. That’s important in my personal life, but that’s really important as a police officer.
“There is a difference between working in a neighborhood that is different from the one that you grew up in vs. immersing yourself in someone’s life and really getting to know them on a personal level and allowing them to do the same with you. I think it’s not until you really are intentional about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes … where you can really understand the struggles that some people face and some of the things that people go through.”
That’s been the case for Mr. Latchaw as well. The 30year-old rookie police officer grew up in Franklin, Venango County, a town of 6,000 that is 95% white. Two years ago, when he got involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, he was paired with Jamari Williams, 11, who lives near him in the North Side’s Manchester neighborhood.
“We get along great,” Mr. Latchaw said. “We both live on the North Side, so sometimes I’ll just see him out and about at the store or when I’m getting gas or walking my dog. Because of the coronavirus, we couldn’t hang out for a while, but I’d still see him around the neighborhood.”
They can’t do Pirates and Steelers games this year, but there have been a lot of impromptu games of catch. For Jamari, it’s been a vital source of male bonding.
“I have a little sister and an older sister, and I have all girl cousins,” he explained. “So it’s nice having male time with Mr. Jared because then I’m not around all these girls. It’s boring! All they do is dance and be on their phones. I like to play video games with him, even though he loses all the time.”
Mr. Latchaw worried that outside events might sully his relationship with his “brother.”
“I was worried about how Jamari would take it,” he said. “He sees me, and he sees the good, and thankfully he’s able to see that most cops aren’t like that. If I can be a good example ... then hopefully I can change some people’s minds.”
It’s rubbed off on Jamari, who said before bowling: “I’ve been thinking ... that even if I don’t make it to the NFL, I want to be a police officer and be a Big [Brother] so I can do the same thing that Mr. Jared is doing for me ... for other little kids.”
Mr. Latchaw summed up their relationship this way: “Jamari needs me, and I need Jamari. We’re both good for each other.”