Syelis “Sye” Lee Wakeman, 4, of Kent, right, serves as the Kent Police Chief for a Day. Wakeman takes a break during the Aug. 16 ceremony in Burien along with the King County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff for a Day. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police

Syelis “Sye” Lee Wakeman, 4, of Kent, right, serves as the Kent Police Chief for a Day. Wakeman takes a break during the Aug. 16 ceremony in Burien along with the King County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff for a Day. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police

Kent Police help children celebrate Chief for a Day

Motorcade travels through town with kids from 35 agencies

Kent Police joined with 34 other agencies to help sponsor the Chief for a Day event that celebrates the lives of children diagnosed with a life-threatening or chronic illness.

A large police motorcade traveled through Kent on the morning of Aug. 16 carrying the children and their families as part of the celebration, an event held every other year. The motorcade began at the accesso ShoWare Center and traveled west on State Route 516 to Des Moines and eventually to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission academy in Burien.

Each agency provided a child with a honorary hand-tailored uniform. The children, ages 3 to 12, were sworn in as chiefs and sheriffs, treated to lunch and checked out displays that include K-9 units, bicycle patrols, SWAT, rifle units and more.

Syelis “Sye” Lee Wakeman, 4, of Kent, served as the Kent Police Chief for a Day.

“What a cutie our little chief is!” according to the Kent Police Facebook page posting. “Sye is quite the character and had a great time!”

The participating agencies included:

1. Bellingham PD

2. Black Diamond PD

3. Bonney Lake PD

4. Covington PD

5. Ferndale PD

6. Fircrest PD

7. Forks PD

8. Hoquiam PD

9. Kelso PD

10. Kent PD

11. King County SO

12. Kirkland PD

13. Kitsap County SO

14. Lacey PD

15. Lake Forest Park PD

16. Lynnwood PD

17. Mill Creek PD

18. Mukilteo PD

19. Olympia PD

20. Pierce County SD

21. Port of Seattle PD

22. Puyallup PD

23. Renton PD

24. Snohomish County SO

25. Snoqualmie PD

26. Stillaguamish PD

27. Sumner PD

28. Tacoma PD

29. Thurston County SO

30. Tulalip Tribal PD

31. Washington State Patrol

32. Westport PD

33. Redmond PD

34. UW PD

35. WSCJTC Academy


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Syelis “Sye” Lee Wakeman, 4, of Kent, right, serves as the Kent Police Chief for a Day on Aug. 16. He receives door service from Kent Police Assistant Chief Eric Hemmen. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police

Syelis “Sye” Lee Wakeman, 4, of Kent, right, serves as the Kent Police Chief for a Day on Aug. 16. He receives door service from Kent Police Assistant Chief Eric Hemmen. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police

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