Girl Missing Hand Gets To Live Dream Of Becoming Police Officer In Hayward
HAYWARD (KPIX 5) -- A six-year-old girl missing one hand received a chance to live her dream of being a police officer on Wednesday. The opportunity stemmed from a chance encounter with two East Bay officers.
Chief Sheryl Boykins of the Cal State East Bay Police Department rolled with a new partner Wednesday, six-year-old Sydney Bridgeland. Sydney spotted the chief and an officer with the Hayward Police Department eating lunch on Tuesday.
"And Sydney came over and said, 'When I grow up I want to be a police officer, like you two,'" Boykins said.
Hayward Police Lt. Chris Orrey told KPIX 5, "When we started talking to her, she just radiates this positivity and this can-do attitude and it was just really neat."
The two officers were so taken by Sydney's spirit that they invited her for a tour of each of their departments. Sydney got to take in the view from Cal State's campus and watch a police dog demonstration at Hayward Police headquarters, along with sitting inside the department's SWAT van.
Sydney even got to sit in the chair of Hayward Police Chief Diane Urban.
And even though she was born with one fewer hand than most people, Sydney has no doubt she can achieve her dream.
"Yes. I'm smart, really smart," Sydney said. "I was going through the whole thing of kindergarten."
It's not always easy being a female cop. And there are days when being a police officer can feel like a no-win job. But this six-year-old made sure this was not one of those days.
"My week is set. I don't care what happens the rest of the week, this will be the highlight of it," Boykins said.
Sydney actually lives in Washington State. She was visiting her grandparents when she was invited to Wednesday's adventure.
