On Friday, March 2, a local teenager got his wish to become a Public Safety officer fulfilled for a day.

Altravious Faison, 14, is a seventh-grade student at Bainbridge Middle School. After hearing that Faison, who uses a wheelchair, aspired to be a police officer some day, Sgt. Marvin Knight of Bainbridge Public Safety set out to make the wish come true.

Knight asked BPS Director Eric Miller about the idea and Miller encouraged him to set up a special, rare opportunity that would allow Faison to know what it’s like to be a Public Safety officer.

So on Friday morning, Knight picked up Altravious at Bainbridge Middle School in Knight’s black-and-white BPS patrol car. Their first stop was at the BPS Investigations office on Broughton Street, where Altravious met city officials and well-wishers.

Mayor Edward Reynolds performed the same swearing-in oath that real BPS officers recite, to make Faison an honorary officer for the day. Reynolds also presented the teen with a plaque engraved with the BPS’s official shield and his name.

From there, Faison rode around with Knight for most of the day while the officer performed his regular patrol duties. Because BPS officers are dual-trained in police work and fire protection, Faison also had the chance to learn about fire trucks, hoses and gear, up-close. Knight and his ride-along also had a complimentary lunch at Golden Corral. Faison’s birthday was March 3, so Walmart, the Circle K club at Bainbridge College and the Kiwanis Club all presented him with birthday gifts.

“This is something we would like to do again in the future for another deserving boy or girl,” Knight said. “At Public Safety, we are trying to become more community-oriented and let folks know that we are out there working for them.”

“It’s my hope that if a youth with a disability, or ‘handi-capable’ as I like to say, had the dream of becoming a police or fireman, or pursuing some position with the City of Bainbridge, that we would make it happen.”