BERKELEY, Mo. — A 13-year-old Texas boy battling a rare form of brain and spinal cancer was sworn in as an honorary member of more than 200 law enforcement agencies during a single ceremony in Berkeley, Missouri — part of a larger journey that has seen him join over 1,000 departments nationwide, My Journal Courier reported.
Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel has made it his mission to be sworn in by at least 1,000 law enforcement agencies. During the April 15 ceremony, which included officers from across Missouri and Illinois, he surpassed that goal, reaching around 1,100 agencies. Departments from west-central Illinois counties such as Sangamon, Jersey, Brown, Pike and Greenfield were among those represented.
Murrayville-Woodson Police Officer Mike Broaddus was among those in attendance and described the experience as “awesome.”
“They are just so positive,” Broaddus said of DJ and the nine other children who were also sworn in that day, all of whom have had or currently have cancer. “We are all affected by cancer… and these kids, they are so positive.”
The ceremony, hosted by the Berkeley Police Department, began with DJ being recognized as an honorary graduate of the St. Lous County Police Academy. He was then given a honorary Peace Officer’s License by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. He was then sworn in by more than 200 other agencies, most of which were in Missouri and Illinois.
Following DJ’s appointment, he assisted in swearing in nine other children to be honorary police officers. After the ceremony ended, he also attended a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game, where he performed a “traffic stop” on the Cardinals’ mascot, Fredbird, the Berkeley Police Department told Police1.
DJ was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and initially given five months to live. Since then, he has dedicated himself to raising awareness of childhood cancer and inspiring others through his dream of joining law enforcement. His efforts have taken him across the country, beginning in Texas and expanding to include hundreds of departments nationwide.
DJ has also been recognized by President Donald Trump and named an honorary Secret Service agent.
Speaking to KSDK in St. Louis, DJ said he was overwhelmed by the turnout in Berkeley.
“I was not expecting that,” he said. “I ain’t going to lie, I felt like I was about to cry.”
DJ remains committed to his mission, telling reporters, “I’m going to keep on going until my gas tank runs out. That’s when God calls you home.”
