Police officers set for showdown in national tourney

Team will play in the National Police tourney in Kettering where it is looking for a turnaround.


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Western-Star.com

In their third year of existence, the Warren County Lawmen are enjoying their finest season.

The big test lies ahead, however. This weekend, the Lawmen will test their skills against some of the best police squads in the nation.

The Warren County Lawmen is a men’s softball team comprised solely of full-time police officers. The team is currently in second place of the Thursday Night Men’s League at Armco Park with a 14-5 record.

How the team fares in the National Police Tournament, held this weekend in Kettering, is the measuring stick they are most interested in.

“We’ve done OK in league play the last couple years but not so well in the tournaments,” team founder and manager Eric Abrams said. “We made a stronger commitment as a team this year to perform better at the tournaments and we’re excited to see how we do this year.”

Jim Burns, the Lawmen’s first baseman and a member of the Lebanon Police Dept., said the upcoming tournament is more than just about playing softball.

“It’s a great way to build camaraderie with other police departments and hang out with guys from New York or Baltimore and hear their stories,” Burns said. “This team is a good information highway. We share stories and tips and it’s also a good way to let the community see that we are human beings outside of our police uniforms. We’re not just guys who sit in a car, write tickets and ruin people’s day.

“Of course, we’d also like to make a name for Warren County softball and win a few games in the tournament.”

Mason Police officer Dan Fry agreed with Burns that the chance to interact with softball community is good public relations.

“It’s good for us to show the community that we’re not just cops and let them see us in a different light,” Fry said.

The Lawmen are also hoping their team is seen in a different light after this weekend’s tournament.

“We’d like to win a couple games, move past the round robin stage and show we’re a different team this year,” Frank Robinson, the Lawmen’s pitcher and member of the Monroe Police Dept. said. “There’s a brotherhood among police officers and a brotherhood on this team as well. We know what we’re representing on this team. There’s some pride in it.”

Members of the team represent the police departments of the cities of Lebanon, Mason, Monroe, Springboro, Franklin, Middletown, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Marshall (Dayton) Office.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4526 or shayes@coxohio.com.

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