There was a special guest during the May swearing-in ceremony of the newest Collin College police officers – 5-year-old Elizabeth Estes.
Elizabeth, the daughter of Officer Joshua Estes, was sworn in with her father and the rest of the new officers.
Elizabeth has been diagnosed with pediatric pulmonary hypertension, a disorder that causes high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Because of this, she requires a lot of attention and Joshua said he wanted to be more available to spend more time with his daughter and wife, Amy.
“I’ve been a police officer for 11 years with the Dallas and University Park police departments, and I came here because the college provides a better balance for home and work, no more 12-hour late night patrol shifts and dad can be dad more,” Joshua said.
Joshua said his daughter wants to be just like him, be a police officer, or as she likes to say a “community helper.”
“But, because of her condition, she is very limited in what physical activities she can do and becoming a police officer is something she’ll never be able to do,” Joshua said, noting that the life expectancy for children with pediatric pulmonary hypertension is not great.
Lt. Scott Jenkins said he was deeply moved when he first heard Joshua talk about his love for his family and their situation.
“Having a child walk in your footsteps by leaving a legacy in law enforcement is a tremendous honor,” Jenkins said. “When I learned about the diagnosis, I wanted to facilitate the opportunity for Elizabeth to be sworn in alongside her dad.”
The department officers pitched in to purchase a custom-made Collin College Police Department uniform for Elizabeth with a department patch and badge.
Jenkins said the swearing-in ceremony was deeply moving not only for the family but for the department’s officers and leadership.
“To see the desire to be like her dad and the emotion shared as they took the oath of office together was a profound and memorable event,” Jenkins said.
Joshua said Elizabeth was thrilled to wear her uniform and be surrounded by other police officers.
“It was a special event for me and my family, and for Elizabeth. It’s something she can look back on and see that at one time she was a police officer,” he said.
He said Elizabeth continues to wear her uniform around their house and even asks when she can start working with him on his next shift at the college.
On July 12 at 7 p.m. Elizabeth will be throwing the ceremonial First Pitch for the RoughRiders baseball game in her custom police officer uniform. The evening has been designated as Collin College Night at the Dr. Pepper Ballpark.