Arvada firefighters and law enforcement officers will head to the diamond on Sunday, Oct. 13, as the headliners for the city’s first charity softball tournament.

Hosted by the Arvada Vitality Alliance, multiple local teams will compete at Arvada’s Youth Memorial Sports Complex, 7619 Alkire St., Arvada for a good cause, a trophy, and of course, bragging rights.

Event organizer and tournament coordinator Julia Walker said that while the idea of a charity softball tournament is a novelty for Arvada, the real reason for the event, especially the championship game between the Arvada Police Department and the Arvada Fire Department, is to spotlight the community’s first responders in a more human way “with their families, kids, and having fun.”

“Our first responders have a limited opportunity to get out into the community in fun events,” Walker said. “A majority of their responses within the community are to crisis or tragedy, and with our fire and police departments, there can also be a lot of unwelcome presence that can create a lot of tension with relationships with the community.

While there have always been jokes and a sense of collegial rivalry between the city’s “guns and hoses,” Arvada Police Public Information Officer Dave Snelling said the two departments have one of the best working relationships in the nation.

“But the police are going to win,” he said with a chuckle.

Snelling jokes that he thinks the fire department may have re-instituted its volunteer program so it can recruit professional athletes.

“Now, I’m not gonna say there’s an official investigation underway,” he said, “but let’s just say we’re kind of suspicious.”

Snelling’s suspicions might just be justified.

Arvada Firefighter Denny Stark is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with stints with the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies.

“We’ve been practicing and getting a lot of the rust knocked off,” Stark said. “A lot of us have played softball at some point in the past, but I don’t think anybody’s really played it lately.”

The tournament begins at noon and runs through 7 p.m., with the championship game between police and fire beginning at 4 p.m.

Along with food and drinks, attendees will enjoy a guest appearance from Colorado Rockies mascot Dinger.

“I think it’s incredible for our community to see their first responders in this type of environment and that they know that there’s a person behind each badge, whether it’s fire or police,” Snelling added. “But to understand that we’re everyday community members like they are and a charity softball tournament like this is just a great example of both of us getting together and doing something that once again is beyond ourselves.”

Although Walker, who also serves as the Alliance’s executive director, wouldn’t take sides — she hopes the best team wins.

“Honestly, I am rooting for them equally,” she said. “I’m a huge supporter of both departments because they both do incredible work within our community.”

Snelling said he really hopes success favors the Arvada Police Department.

“You know, because it would really be disappointing to see traffic citations increase for our firefighting team,” he joked. “That’s not a threat. But we may be conducting enforcement strategically around certain fire stations; just sayin’.”