Liam Lindsey always dreamed of becoming a police officer. Watch video
GLOUCESTER TWP. -- The township police department called in the cavalry Monday while welcoming their newest, and certainly youngest, honorary addition to the force.
Liam Lindsey, 7, was diagnosed with the blood cancer leukemia three years ago. The kindergartner at Glendora Elementary School always wanted to become a police officer and Gloucester Township law enforcement were more than happy to make it happen.
"We appreciate your inspiration because you inspire us," township Mayor David Mayer said as he and police Chief Harry Earle welcomed Liam -- whose passions also include Legos, playing on his iPad and firefighters -- aboard.
Liam's kindergarten teacher at Glendora, Noreen Palcko, said the boy is a true trooper given the chemotherapy his condition requires.
"He's very quiet about it. He'll have chemo on a Monday, come in on a Tuesday and act like nothing happened," Palcko said.
Liam was picked up at home by a police escort and was greeted at the station by a line of Gloucester Township police command staff, on- and off-duty officers, detectives and township employees at full attention.
After officially joining the force, Liam's services were promptly put to use. He and a handful of officers departed police headquarters to assist with a fictional car stop, learn how to give orders to police K-9 "Arrow," operate a remote-controlled tank-like robot and much more.
His reasoning for wanting to become a cop?
"Because it's the coolest job in the world," said Liam, who also got to don a bulletproof vest, helmet and shield while inside of the department's armored response vehicle as part of Monday's tour of duty.
"I never expected all this," said Liam's mother, Lauren Lindsay. "There's a lot of good people out there with good hearts and want to help people in need."
Lindsay, watching her son sit in the driver's seat of a Chews Landing Fire Department fire truck, said she was "overwhelmed" at the itinerary Gloucester Township officials developed -- much of which kept under wraps even to her.
"This is all I'm going to hear about for days," she joked.
Gloucester Township police Ptl. David Belcher, a school resource officer of six years, said he was on duty at Glendora while Liam was in the nurse's office, only later learning about the boy's condition and interests. Monday's action-packed afternoon was the result of about one month of planning.
"You take this job to help people; it's something we did today," Belcher said.
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.