ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Police Department is looking forward to a little friendly competition with some teens in the community on Wednesday night at the Rochester Central Library.

There will be a video game competition between RPD officers and the Central Library Liberators, the library’s competitive e-sports team. RPD Lt. Rob Wilson said one of the goals is to build connections between the community and the police.

“I wouldn’t think most young folks, like the ones that we’re going to be playing against, probably look at the police as, ‘hey, there’s probably a gamer driving that police car down the street’. That’s not probably one of the first things they think about. They get to see us as humans versus a uniform,” Wilson said.

Wednesday’s event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Kate Gleason Auditorium at the library.

The Central Library Liberators began as an anti-violence initiative in 2022. Jeff Bostic, the library’s digital media associate, wanted to give high school and middle school students a safe place, a chance to pursue their interests in video games, and a sense of community.

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