On April 29, Maricopa County won the 12th Annual Arizona Law Enforcement, Outreach and Assistance Battle of the Badge Hope Charity Flag Football Game at Mesa Community College.

AZLEOS coordinated a charity match to help police officers injured in the line of duty.

This year, Gilbert Police Officer Rico Aranda and Scottsdale Police Sergeant Scott Galibras served as honorary game captains.

Aranda suffered a traumatic brain injury in April 2022 after being involved in an incident during a police chase.

Galbraith was shot while serving a warrant in downtown Phoenix in January 2022.

For Maricopa County player Tyler Rolnick, the game is more than just that, it’s also a way for the community to connect with first responders on a personal level and help those at work who are injured.

“It’s always a great feeling. There’s a reason why I was able to be a first responder,” Rolnick said of how it felt to be part of the Battle of Burju. This shop and shops that hold police events every year. I love going out and helping the community. ”

The game doesn’t just tell you what’s going on on the field, these people usually wear uniforms and although they are meant to protect and serve the public, they are also It’s meant to show the community that you’re human just like you.

The event also featured a policing exhibit, a 50/50 raffle and a food truck to give people a glimpse into what police officers do on a daily basis.

Scholarships were awarded to Natsuki Saballos, Hayley Bartlett and Carissa Morgan during halftime. These scholarships were funded by Palo Verde Republican Women, AZCOPS, and her MCC Department of Justice research and were given to students earning degrees to become first responders.

The game was a rollercoaster, with Maricopa County taking an early 12-point lead.

Pinal County fought back before halftime, reaching the endzone before the halftime buzzer and cutting their lead to just six.

As the second half began, Pinal scored the first goal to level the score at 12 points each.

Maricopa would answer with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, but Pinal would only answer with six of their own.

However, Pinal was unable to score a two-point try as the snap was fumbled and the quarterback was downed.

Maricopa scored comfortably, widening the lead to 18-26.

As time dwindled, Pinal were able to produce the score they needed, but again failed to score two tries to tie the match.

Maricopa held the ball until the final horn, giving Pinal a third straight win, 24–26.