Police officers traded their uniforms for jerseys to compete in a basketball fundraiser, benefitting the Detective Robert “Bobby” Garten Memorial Fund.
Detective Garten was killed when a car fleeing a traffic stop crashed into his police cruiser in September 2023. His family began a memorial fund in his name to continue his legacy.
“He became a very good police officer and he was out there all the time,” Hartford police chief James Rovella said.” He was great with the community. He told the truth all the time.”
Despite snowy weather, the court was full at Hartford Police Athletic League on Sunday. Members of Hartford, East Hartford and Wethersfield police departments took on the Old Saybrook police department for the first game of the third annual “Ballin for Bobby” basketball fundraiser.
“Bobby and I were good friends,” Hartford police detective and event organizer Abhilash Pillai Hartford said. “We played basketball a couple times, he wasn’t the greatest basketball player, but he did try.”
The fund has raised more than $15,000. Money has been distributed to the boy scouts, scholarships and families of injured and fallen law enforcement officers.
“Bobby was a great cop, Bobby was a good detective,” Pillai said. “We wanted to memorialize him as the best way possible.”
To learn more about the fund, click here.
