Nine children honored at'Chief for a Day'

EPHRATA — Law enforcement agencies in Grant County honored nine children Thursday at the sixth annual Thomas Boruff Foundation "Chief for a Day" event.

The event, held in front of the Grant County courthouse, is a public-outreach opportunity for the law enforcement agencies. The children honored have been diagnosed with serious illnesses.

The children, in full agency uniform, paraded through downtown Ephrata in marked patrol vehicles prior to arriving at the courthouse.

At the courthouse the children were escorted to their seats by members of the Moses Lake Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff's Office's honor guards.

The children were individually recognized, including the presentation of a badge and a plaque commemorating the event.

A proclamation was presented by Grant County Commission Chairman LeRoy Allison. The children were sworn in as chiefs by Grant County Superior Court Judges John Antosz, Ken Jorgensen and Evan Sperline.

The law enforcement agencies displayed specialty equipment and personnel, including the sheriff's mounted posse, Moses Lake police's Regional Tactical Response Team and the Ephrata Fire Department.

The children honored and their respective agencies were:

James Barbre, 11, Soap Lake, Soap Lake Police Department; Joshua Bjornn, 5, Moses Lake, sheriff's office; Sarah Coulter, 16, Moses Lake, Moses Lake police; Sam Donner, 9, Moses Lake, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Roberto Mireles, 10, Quincy, Quincy Police Department; Sasha Nazworthy, 9, Soap Lake, Soap Lake police; Micha Rashford, 6, Ephrata, Washington State Patrol; Karissa Rodriguez, 8, Warden, Warden Police Department; Matthew Stamper, 8, Soap Lake, the Ephrata Police Department.