VIDEO: St. Louis Teen Becomes Police Officer for a Day
A 19-year-old graduate of the St. Louis Citizens Police Academy holds a special place in the hearts of the officers for his bravery in taking on life's challenges.
Less than a year after he was born, Shawn Chickey was diagnosed with Idiopathic Epilepsy. A dozen seizures until the age of 3-and-a-half damaged his brain but not his heart. And there has been one great passion in his life.
"Shawn is a very special young man. He loves the police department," Sgt. Catherine Dennis of St. Louis Police told KSDK-TV 5.
"He has great admiration for anything law enforcement," explains his mom Jane Chickey.
So after hearing his story, the St. Louis Police Department opened a space in their Citizens Police Academy program. Once a week for 12 weeks, Shawn learned all about how to protect and serve.
Shawn graduated from the Citizens Police Academy and was honored as an "Officer for the Day."