My brother is a Chino Police Officer and takes great pride in his department. I can understand why.
In Chino, California, six-year-old Jose Verduzco was diagnosed with stage-four brain cancer. He bravely endured daily chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Jose's love of playing baseball was replaced by four major brain surgeries. The tumor was removed, but it grew back within six days. After a two-month hospital stay, Jose was finally allowed to come home to his family, whose finances have been hit hard by Jose's health problems.
Throughout his brief life, Jose had expressed the desire to become a police officer. Members of the Chino Police Officers Association heard about this and, in an effort to fulfill Jose's dream, arranged to have him sworn in as an honorary Chino Police Officer. Equipped with uniform, badge, cap, and police radio, Jose transformed into "Officer Jose" after being officially sworn in by the Chief of Police.
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"I do," he firmly told an audience of 500 people inside the Chino City Council chambers after the chief asked him to pledge to honor the duties of a Chino Police Officer. With that, the Chief pinned a badge on Jose's uniform. The ceremony ended with a roar of applause by Jose's mother, father, two brothers, Chino city council members, officers from the Chino and Chino Hills police departments, staff from the school where Jose attended, and many others who have followed the boy's courageous battle. Jose was then the subject of a "Walk of Honor," normally reserved for retiring police officers.
A Chino Police Corporal, whose wife is battling a malignant brain tumor, gave his Medal of Valor to Jose, an act of kindness that made many in the crowd shed tears and brought smiles to Jose and his parents. The Medal of Valor is the highest honor bestowed on a police officer. Corporal Lombard earned his during a gun battle at a Chino grocery store in 2008.
Following the ceremony, Chino's newest officer was dispatched on his first "assignment."
All Chino police officers turned up their radios for Jose to hear a dispatcher give orders for him to go to the Chino Airport for an "incident" involving an Ontario Police helicopter.
"10-4," he joyously responded to the dispatcher.
In a long convoy of police cars, with emergency lights flashing, Jose arrived at the airport to learn his assignment was taking a ride over the Chino Valley in the Ontario Police helicopter. Accompanied by his excited father and brothers, Officer Jose experienced the culmination of his dream.
One month later, the Chino Police Department lost "one of their own." Little Jose Verduzco, who lived to see his dream come true, passed away. The Chino Police Department turned out in force for the funeral with honors reserved for police officers killed in the line of duty. White gloved, uniformed, Chino Police Officers served as pallbearers. As an honor guard stood by, Jose was gently laid to rest in his police uniform.
