Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Like many 12-year-old boys, Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel has a dream of becoming a law enforcement officer. However, he is not like most typical 12-year-old boys. Daniel, who is from Houston, Texas has been in a battle with a rare and incurable form of brain and spinal cancer. When he received the diagnosis when he was in the third grade, he was given just five months to live. His family decided to try an experimental drug that had yet to be tried.
Thanks to this experimental treatment, along with prayers, a positive attitude and a determined fight for life, Daniel has, so far, beaten the odds. Daniel’s story has captivated the nation since President Trump recognized him and his fight during an address to Congress. At that point, Daniel was named an honorary Secret Service member. Over the past months, Daniel has traveled the country, being sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer at every turn. According to his father, Theotis Daniel has been sworn in as an honorary officer with over 900 agencies, including the FBI and the military.
Recently, DJ was sworn in as an honorary Sheriff’s Deputy during a meeting of the Florida Sheriff’s Association, in Tallahassee. While there, Madison County Sheriff David Harper and Madison County Undersheriff Chris Andrews met DJ and welcomed him to the force. Andrews even drove DJ around Tallahassee in one of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Dodge Charger cruisers.
DJ’s love for law enforcement began when his family was displaced by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. While staying in a shelter, police officers assigned to the shelter would sneak DJ into their break room, where they would share snacks and pizza with him while telling him stories of the police force. From that time on, DJ knew the law enforcement community was where he wanted to be.
DJ initially set out to be sworn in at 100 law enforcement agencies. Now, he is well on his way to setting a Guinness World Record for being sworn in to the most law enforcement agencies.