Have you thanked a police officer today? That’s what the Benedetto siblings Tayler, 8, and Caleb, 6, of Avondale, would like to know.
This young duo has made supporting law enforcement a personal crusade since October 2014, when their Avondale school, Corte Sierra Elementary, held a career day. Tayler and Caleb proudly donned police attire for the event and have never looked back.
“I want to be a police officer when I grow up,” says Tayler. “I want to help people and keep our country safe.”
Feeling inspired, the family started collecting police patches from different precincts around the U.S. and beyond. Their father, Leonard Benedetto, created a Facebook page, The Tayler and Caleb’s Project, with the following introduction: “Hi! My name is Tayler and I’m 8 years old. This is my brother Caleb and he’s 6. We both want to be a police officer when we grow up. We are working on a project with our dad to collect as many police patches as we can. My dad will help us learn about the state it is mailed from. Please help us with our project.”
So far, they have collected 570 police patches, from as far away as Canada and Australia. They originally wanted to use the patches to make quilts for their rooms, but the project evolved in a different direction.
As Tayler and Caleb started building relationships with police officers, the siblings felt compelled to thank them.
In May 2015, they began writing thank-you notes to police officers. They chose locations at random on a U.S. map. Each week, they sent handwritten notes to wherever they pointed on the map. To date, they have sent 2,200 cards to 50 different police departments. They plan to keep sending more.
“People like these police officers who put their lives on the line…a simple ‘thank you’ is all it takes to make their day,” says Benedetto.
Personal visits to thank police
Tayler and Caleb visit local departments regularly to hand-deliver their cards. They especially enjoy visiting the Glendale Police Department, where they have formed a special bond with Chief Debora Black.
The kids are always thrilled when officers show them around the station. A highlight for the Benedetto children was the honor of riding in one of the squad cars for Glendale’s Hometown Christmas Parade.
Benedetto notes the officers seem deeply affected by the kids’ efforts. “Some of the officers keep the cards in the patrol car, inside the visor,” he says, adding that a quick look at the cards can help keep them going on a rough day.
Both Tayler and Caleb have been offered spots on the Glendale Police Explorer Post 2469Â program when they turn 14. Explorer Post 2469 introduces members to “current law enforcement concepts, ideas and techniques,” according to the City of Glendale website page addressing community and citizen involvement with the police.
The siblings have been offered similar opportunities with Police Explorer Post 2910 of the Chandler Police Department and Explorer Post #2502 at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
