Photo courtesy of Cheol Kang

Alex Eanes, a second grader at Endeavour Elementary, was the honorary police chief of Mukilteo for a day thanks to Chief for a Day, a program sponsored by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Also pictured are Alex's parents, Kelby and Helen Eanes.
 

With the “bad guy” only yards away, 7-year-old Alex Eanes released a K9 dog and commanded it to chase and then hold the scofflaw until Alex could safely handcuff him and get him into a police car.

 

It was all in a day’s work for Alex who – for just a day – was the honorary chief of police for Mukilteo, thanks to the Chief for a Day program.

 

Chief for a Day is a Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission program to honor children who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness.

 

Local public-safety agencies and hospitals throughout Washington sponsored 21 children on Aug. 18 in the 2010 Chief for a Day.  Alex was sponsored by the Mukilteo Police Department.

 

“It gives them the opportunity to live out the dream and become the chief or sheriff of their local jurisdiction for the day,” said Cheol Kang, Mukilteo’s crime prevention officer.

 

“A lot of people relate it to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, because a lot of these kids are not going to be able to live out their life’s dreams of becoming a law enforcement officer,” he said.

 

Alex, a second grader at Endeavour Elementary, has juvenile diabetes, severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a couple of autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, in which the body attacks the thyroid, and vitiligo, in which skin loses its pigment.

 

Ann Jordan, Endeavour’s principal, nominated Alex for the program.

 

“He was very excited for this,” said his mom, Helen Eanes.  “He felt very special.”

 

As chief for the day, Alex was transported by police motorcade to Washington’s police academy in Burien, honored in a swearing-in ceremony and had lunch with the recruits.

 

He then joined in on several presentations – including displays and demonstrations on K9 units, mounted patrol, SWAT teams, rifle units and a police helicopter – that let him pretend he was the chief of police.

 

“He was very interested in everything about law enforcement, asking a lot of good questions about the gear when he got to ride in the police car,” Kang said.  “He was able to turn on the air horn and the siren, and he just had a blast.”

 

Alex wore a custom-made Mukilteo Police Department uniform with Chief for a Day 2010 badge, which he got to keep.  He even had a toy gun to carry.

 

He and his family also received gifts from various donors, including the Mukilteo Kiwanis Club, Mukilteo Police Officers Association, and the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce – like gift cards, gift baskets, toys and a bike – to help offset Alex’s medical bills.

 

They were also treated to a night in a two-bedroom suite at Staybridge Suites in Mukilteo.

 

It was non-stop fun for Alex from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., from pony rides and spraying a fire hose to sitting in the King County helicopter and SWAT vehicle, Kang said.

 

“It was really heartwarming to see all the kids going around, and just seeing the smile on their faces when they were able to see the K9 dogs and interact with all the different specialty units,” he said.

 

Alex said he liked checking out the Washington State Patrol SWAT vehicle and the King County Sheriff Air Support Unit's helicopter the best.  

 

He snooped inside both the vehicle and helicopter, making sure to ask lots of questions about the hatches, cameras, computers, and other equipment.

 

“It’s really cool in there,” Alex said of the SWAT vehicle.  “I opened up these little hatches where you can fit your hand or something and shoot out of it.”

 

Ever since Alex was 5, he’s wanted to be a police officer when he grows up, and maybe even be the chief of police.

 

“It kind of sounds like a fun job, that I could go get bad guys and put them in the police car,” he said.  “I decided that before I even went to the officer place (police academy).”

 

His mom said all the experiences Alex had during Chief for a Day have made him want to someday join law enforcement even more than before.

 

“It was an amazing experience,” she said, “just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I hope Alex will remember.”