Cop Lets Autistic Teen Be ‘Backup’ Deputy, Mother Declares Him ‘Happiest Boy I’ve Ever Seen!’

When Blaize turned 18, his birthday wish was to be a police officer. Rather than lecturing the autistic teen about what he could and couldn’t do, Blaize’s mother did her best to make his dream come true. And when the Jennings Police Department of Louisiana took the reigns, the boy’s dream turned to reality.

Eighteen-year-old Blaize’s mother, Angie Richard, did her best to make her son’s birthday wish come true. She bought the teen a police uniform, then called the Jennings Police Department to see if they would bring a squad car to the house to visit her son on his birthday. Although the JPD often “gets a bad rap,” according to Richard, the department went above and beyond the call of duty.

When police showed up in the squad car, Blaize was beside himself. He was the “happiest boy I’ve ever seen!” declared Richard. Then, Officer Mike Hill deemed Blaize his “backup” deputy. Since their initial meeting, the office has taken it upon himself to make Blaize feel like a part of the department. According to Richard, he has made multiple visits to the Richard home to see Blaize, to “check up on his young partner.”

Richard says that the attention from his heroes at the police department has “put a smile on his face from ear to ear.”

Inspirational Facebook page “Beacon of Hope” shares the story, as written by Blaize’s mother, Angie Richard.

“Blaize had his visit at the JPD and got a tour that put a smile on his face from ear to ear!! He received a certificate and a special JPD coin. Since that day Mike Hill has come to our home […] just to visit his ‘backup.’ Today he brought my son a calender with all the police officers on it and plans on making another visit soon!!! The JPD gets a lot of bad rap but there are good officers who go above and beyond; therefore, that’s why I wanted to share my story and show my appreciation to them.”

Instead of man-handling autistic kids into submission, maybe it’s time that more authority figures step up and let these kids know that they can be whatever they want to be, autistic or not.

Here is Blaize pictured with his hero, Officer Mike Hall.

[Featured image from Shutterstock]