Police From Around the State Celebrate Tewksbury Boy Battling Cancer

By Liz Taurasi

Tewksbury's newest, and youngest, police officer looked sharp in his uniform, which makes sense. He had some time to break it in.

"He put that on last night, and couldn't take it off," said Christine Moniz, the mother of Cole Moniz, who was given a check for $5,000 from Cops for Kids With Cancer on Thursday. "He was up before 7 a.m. with it on asking 'Is today Cops for Kids? Is it time?' He was very excited."

Cole, just four years old, is battling leukemia. On Thursday, he was given a police convoy from his home to the Tewksbury Police Department by officers from around the state. The line of cruisers, complete with flashing lights, included 40 vehicles.

The Departments represented at the event included officers from as close as Wilmington, but also police from towns such as Beverly, Newton, Waltham and others around the state.

Once he arrived, his family received the check from Bob Faherty of Cops for Kids. He also was sworn in by Tewksbury Police Chief Timothy Sheehan as an honorary police officer.

Tewksbury Police gave Cole a toy police cruiser that he can drive around in, complete with a siren and public address system.

Sheehan told the Moniz family that their relationship won't end when the presentation came to a conclusion on Thursday. He said the oath Cole took means that he is officially a part of the so called thin blue line.

"We just want you to know that you are an adopted family to all of us now," said Sheehan. "Your family is our family. Everyone here is a brother, a sister, an uncle, a surrogate father to Cole and to (his brother) Dante. We're friends to you for life now."