11-YEAR-OLD CANCER FIGHTER SWORN IN AS DEPUTY SHERIFF
For as long as he can remember, Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel wanted to be a police officer. But at eight years old, his life took a turn. He was diagnosed with terminal brain and spine cancer and since then, he's undergone 11 brain surgeries. But he's never stopped fighting. This brave, young warrior made it his mission to be sworn in by as many law enforcement agencies as possible.
DJ and his family were invited to Colorado from their hometown of Houston by the Aurora Police Department, who in turn, invited several of its neighboring law enforcement agencies to participate in the ceremony.
Aurora Interim Police Chief, Art Acevedo, tried to hold back tears as he introduced the young boy to the crowd inside the Aurora City Council Chambers.
"Thank you for your courage, DJ. You embody all the qualities we look for in law enforcement -- strength, courage, resilience and selflessness. May God bless you and your family," said Chief Art Acevedo.
Sheriff Tyler Brown had the honor of swearing DJ in to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office as an Honorary Deputy Sheriff and presenting him with an authentic police hat, badge and certificate.
Thank you DJ for showing us your sense of humor and love of life. We were humbled to be part of this memorable day. 💙🖤
Watch the heartwarming video of DJ Daniel's dream-come-true!
MEET OUR NEW AMBASSADOR
Noah Stokes has always loved physical fitness. At eight years old he began competing in the Special Olympics, winning medals and trophies nearly every year. In 2022, he won four gold medals in power lifting at the Special Olympic Summer Games. He also plays basketball, soccer, softball and flag football.
"I love fitness and I love working out with these deputies in the police academy!" says Noah Stokes.
Noah, who is 20 years old, has an intellectual disability. But it has never stopped him from pursuing his dreams and inspiring others along the way.
"Noah deals with challenges every day of his life and faces them head on. He doesn’t make excuses or attempt to displace blame. He takes responsibility and strives to better himself every day and he does it with a positive attitude and compassion toward others. We can all learn how to live our best lives from Noah," says Captain Kevin Heaton.
Captain Kevin Heaton, who is actively involved in Special Olympics Colorado, chose Noah to become the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office very first Ambassador -- an inspirational role model to encourage and support the staff.
"The Sheriff's Office wanted to have more outreach and interaction with Special Olympic athletes, so last year we participated in a Unified Academy. This year, we chose to have Noah join us at the agency so we can be more engaged with him," says Heaton.
By taking part in what deputies do, Noah cannot only learn about law enforcement, but the deputies can learn from him. While working out with police academy recruits, Noah loves to encourage them and cheer them on.
Noah also helps out at the Arapahoe County jail. On his first day there, he was given a special tour by Deputy Carter. It's no wonder Noah feels at home at the Sheriff's Office. His father is Deputy Mike Stokes, who has worked for the ACSO for nearly 40 years.
"Noah is already part of our family because of his dad, so bringing him on as our first Ambassador was an easy choice. But more importantly, Noah is going to help us all become better individuals and better deputies," says Heaton.
Captain Heaton says he's confident Noah will make a lasting impression and he summed it up best when he introduced Noah to the new recruits.
"We can all learn how to live our best lives from Noah. He's going to teach us how to become a hero by showing you what courage looks like. When you think you want to give up or something is too difficult, Noah will show you what determination is. When you need someone to push you to work a little bit harder, Noah will be your inspiration. If you need reminding what values are important in life, Noah will guide you in the right direction. Finally, if you find yourself lacking confidence in your abilities, Noah will show you what strength is all about. I truly hope we all embrace what Noah has to share. If you do, you'll have a long, successful career in law enforcement and people will see you as a hero."
JUROR THANKS DEPUTIES WHO SAVED HER LIFE
It's a heartwarming ending to a story we first told you about last month. On February 13, our court deputies performed CPR on a juror who collapsed at the courthouse from a heart attack. Bennett was unconscious with no pulse when deputies jumped into action and administered CPR until paramedics and EMTs arrived. Their quick and immediate response ultimately saved her life. On March 9, Shirley Bennet, 69, returned to the courthouse to thank the first responders.
"Because of all of you, I'm here today. I came back to thank you for what you did. You didn't just bless me, you blessed my whole family. Jury duty saved my life because if I hadn't been here at that time, I would have been home alone and the outcome could have been different. I'm so glad to be alive. I have a lot of living to do. I love you all and I appreciate you," Shirley Bennett
Watch the story below on 9News.
AWARDED FOR BRINGING THERAPY DOGS TO SCHOOLS
Sgt. Matthew Cleveland receives the "Elks Deputy of the Year" award for his dedication to public service
Two years ago, Sgt. Matt Cleveland had an idea -- let's get a therapy dog to partner with a School Resource Officer to help build better relationships between kids and cops. A few months later, 10-week-old Rex was sworn in by Sheriff Tyler Brown and became the first therapy dog to join the ACSO.
Turns out, Sgt. Cleveland's idea was a brilliant one. So much so, the Sheriff's Office now has three school therapy dogs with two more on the way!
Lt. Adam Burson wanted to honor Sgt. Cleveland for his efforts, so he nominated him for the Littleton Elks Lodge Deputy of the Year.
"Matt has worked tirelessly on this program since its inception. He is always out in the community seeking ways to sustain funding for it. In a single event, now known as the Rex Run, $33K dollars was raised to support our therapy dogs and K9s," said Lt. Adam Burson.
Lt. Burson says Matt's devotion and support of the therapy dog program has been a driving factor in its success, and without him the program would not be where it is today.
From all of us at the Sheriff's Office, thank you Sgt. Cleveland, for your dedication, leadership and implementation of the SRO therapy dog program for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
NEW 'MINI' JOINS THE MOUNTED UNIT
ACSO gets its third miniature therapy horse
Her name is Hunny B and she's got the personality to match. This fluffy, white mini is sweet as can be. She loves to be around other little horses, enjoys cuddles and kisses, playing with your hair and nibbling on your shoes.
"These miniature horses are so approachable and calm. When we (the Mounted Unit) go to an event, sometimes the big horses can be intimidating, but the little horses never are. The kids are much more comfortable with the minis," says Lt. Rich Anselmi of the Mounted Unit.
This 6-month-old American Miniature stands just 22" tall and is 100 lbs. She will soon join the Mounted Unit's two other minis -- Happy Times and Love Bug.
"Hunny B will be training for at least a year before she begins her therapy horse duties. She's still young and she's nursing too, but we're slowly weaning her," says Lt. Anselmi.
Look out for Hunny BÂ and the Mounted Unit in the next few months. You'll soon see her participating in the 'Reading to Horses' program at local elementary schools, at our annual Open House on June 3, or visiting your local hospital and nursing home.
To request a visit from our miniature horses, contact Lt. Rich Anselmi at ranselmi@arapahoegov.com.