Meet New York’s newest Finest.
Miller Greenfield, 17, of California took a proud step toward his lifelong dream to protect and serve as he was sworn in as an honorary NYPD police officer for the day Tuesday.
Greenfield, who lives in Sacramento and battles a rare neurodegenerative disease, beamed as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch administered the oath of office during a heartwarming ceremony in 1 Police Plaza.
“I can definitely protect New York and keep the community safe,” Miller proudly declared.
The Big Apple cop-for-a-day adventure isn’t Miller’s first law-enforcement escapade as he braves challenges from dystonia deafness syndrome, a disease characterized by hearing loss and movement problems.
Miller got involved with his own city’s police department through the Make-A-Wish Foundation before undergoing brain surgery in 2019, his dad Johnny Greenfield said.
The teen’s wish: meet his the Sacramento Police Department’s chief and to become a police officer, the elder Greenfield said.
“He stayed involved with our local police ever since, even being promoted up to sergeant and lieutenant, and he continues to stay involved and go to the police station,” the dad said.
Miller’s ongoing police participation goes hand-in-hand with hard-earned triumphs in his health journey.
“He surprises us every day with how much he’s able to do,” his dad said.
“He was in a wheelchair just a couple of years ago, and I don’t think we’ve used the wheelchair – I can’t remember the last time. So, he gets fatigued and he gets exhausted, and this is certainly going to energize him.”
Tisch and her NYPD officers had a full day planned for Greenfield — starting with a commissioner’s briefing followed by a tour of the department’s Emergency Services Unit truck and a visit to its Mounted Unit horses and the K9 police dogs.
He also was scheduled to visit the NYPD’s Joint Operations Center, a room filled with large screens that monitors all police-related incidents throughout the city.
Even before Greenfield made it to the center, he was already impressed by the technology on display outside Tisch’s office.
“There’s definitely more technology in that one room alone than all of Sacramento’s PD,” he said.
Greenfield said the NYPD visit completely swayed him to become a cop.
“I’ve thought about it, but I think now definitely,” he said.
The budding police officer also sang the praises of New York’s Finest as he was given a chance to leave a personal message in Tisch’s logbook.
“NYPD is better than SacPD,” he wrote, much to the joy of cops surrounding him.
His dad was even more definitive in his entry: “Lt. Miller is my hero.”
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