Chesterfield Fifth Grader Wins Police Department's "Chief for a Day" Contest

When the command staff of the Chesterfield Police Department walked in for their usual meeting Wednesday morning meeting, they were greeted not by Police Chief Ray Johnson, but his pint-sized, blonde-haired replacement, fifth grader Abby Stewart.

Sitting at the head of a big conference table and outfitted in a custom T-shirt airbrushed to resemble a police uniform, Stewart had a wide smile as she listened to each officer explain their role, signed off an their requests and talked about the day’s events.

They informed her about an accident had caused an early morning traffic jam on Highway 40 and the ever-vigilant Abby nodded her head. She and her mother had noticed it during their morning commute.

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"It's been a really great experience," Abby said, sitting at the chief's desk after the meeting. "It's really fun riding in the police car and I've learned a lot of new things." 

Normally, Abby is a student at Chesterfield Elementary School, but she earned her temporary assignment after winning the Chesterfield Police Department’s annual “Chief for a Day” contest.

Instituted by Johnson 16 years ago, the program selects a DARE student to fill his shoes based on an essay they write about what they would do if they were in charge of the city’s law enforcement.

In her essay, Abby said she would focus on several things as chief, including having more officers available to patrol the city’s neighborhoods and an increase in traffic monitoring to help decrease accidents.

Following the morning meeting, Abby received a tour of the department along with a plaque containing a copy of her essay. Her mother accompanied her throughout the day’s events and said she was extremely proud of her daughter’s accomplishment.