2023 Chief for a Day

EPHRATA — There were some very excited kids in uniform Thursday afternoon outside the Grant County Courthouse.

“This is Chief Jesus Flores from the Royal City Police Department,” said Rey Rodriguez, who serves as Royal City’s police chief on all the other days. “He’s a second grader, attends Red Rock Elementary. He likes to color, and his favorite color is blue. And its favorite character is Spider-Man because he likes to save the day.”

The annual Chief for a Day event paired 13 children with mental or physical disabilities or life-threatening conditions with 13 law enforcement or firefighting agencies to allow the kids to be chiefs for a day. Each child was given a uniform and a badge befitting their new status as a police or fire chief. Their badges were pinned on at a ceremony at the Ephrata American Legion, then they paraded to the Grant County Courthouse lawn, where they were given a plaque and introduced to a crowd of family, friends and community members.

“I’d like to introduce Chief Kaden Nelson,” said Grant County Fire District 13 Chief Jim Stucky. “Kaden has autism and is nonverbal so communication with Chief Nelson makes things quite interesting. I found out Chief Nelson likes to push buttons while escorting him around the other day. So if you heard sirens, it wasn't me.”

With the chiefs properly introduced, Judges Anna Gigliotti and Tyson Hill stepped forward to administer the oath. Gigliotti asked the honorees to stand and raise their right hands.

“Repeat after me, she said. “I promise, on my honor, that as Cchief for a Day, I will do my best to be brave, honest and true; that I will treat all people with respect and will be as nice as I can to the people who work for me; that above all else, I will have a lot of fun and enjoy a wonderful day.”

She paused.

“Everybody say ‘I do.’”

Chief for a Day was established in 2002 by then-Undersheriff Dave Panozzo, said Deputy Pete Coats. Like so much else else, it was put on hold during the pandemic; Thursday’s was the first since 2019. It’s financed by the Thomas A. Buroff Foundation, an Ephrata-based nonprofit that assists special needs children. The foundation also donates $200 per child so the adult chiefs can take them shopping, then they open their gifts in the courthouse after the ceremony. The agencies also brought vehicles – cars, a boat, a dune buggy and an armored vehicle belonging to the Moses Lake Tactical Response Team – and let the kids check them out. Chiefs also had a chance to ride a police horse.

“Today was an opportunity for first responders and agencies around the county to come together and honor some of the children that have been living through disabilities, who in reality are our real heroes today,” Coats said.

Koen Hays' name was misspelled in the print edition of this story. It has been corrected in the online edition.

Chiefs for a Day:

Ephrata Police Department: Koen Hays, introduced by Chief Eric Koch

Ephrata Fire Department: Jaden Suarez, introduced by Chief Jeremy Burns

Soap Lake Police Department: Elijah Vasquez, introduced by Chief RyanCox

Warden Police Department: Riley Jean Pruneda, introduced by Chief Rick Martin

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Eduardo Vazques, introduced by Capt. Michael Jewell

Royal City Police Department: Jesus Flores, introduced by Chief Rey Rodriguez

Washington State Patrol: Nick Burns, introduced by Capt. Daniel Richmond

Grant County Fire District 13: Kaden Nelson, introduced by Chief Jim Stucky

Quincy Police Department: Max Jaimes, introduced by Chief Ryan Green

Grant County Fire District 3: John Ramirez (Zion), introduced by Chief Anthony Leibelt

Moses Lake Police Department: Ethan Farmer, introduced by Capt. Dave Sands

Moses Lake Fire Department: DJ Parker, introduced by Asst. Chief Pete Kunjara

Grant County Sheriff's Office: Connor McCord, introduced by Sheriff Joe Kriete