Monday, May 23, started out as a normal day of school for 18-year-old Nick Pifer, but it would end in a remarkable way. Nick, a special needs student, graduated from Holley last year, but he remains in the Service Learning Program at Holley so he can receive job training.
Nick cheerfully works in the MS/HS Dining Hall making sandwiches, and he played on the district’s Unified Basketball team this year. He has also befriended Officer Shawn O’Mara, a police officer from the Gates Police Department, who works part-time for the Holley School District as a C.O.P.S. security officer. Nick is fascinated by law enforcement and constantly talks to Officer O’Mara about his job.
“We don’t talk about sports or anything else,” said Officer O’Mara. “We just talk about police work. We watch police takedown videos in the security office and Nick loves it. At one point, he asked to see my badge and ID to confirm my identity. Nick always has a smile on his face and it’s just contagious. I can come in from having a tough day, but he instantly cheers me up. He’s been asking if he could do a ride along all year and I told him we’d see.”
Nick was part of the crowd of students who filed into the High School Auditorium for a surprise assembly on May 23. The stage included a line up of law enforcement officials, many of them Holley alumni. Officer O’Mara called Nick up to the stage and Nick calmly sat down at the end of the row of law enforcement officers like he was already part of their community.
Officer O’Mara called Nick over to the podium and told him that he would finally have his wish granted: Nick would be sworn in as an honorary police officer for the day and ride along with Officer O’Mara in a Gates Police Department vehicle. Nick would even receive an official uniform, complete with his name, “Officer Nick,” embroidered on the shirt, and wear a hat and badge.
The students erupted in applause and cheers for Nick when he reappeared on stage in the uniform and tipped his hat to the audience. Nick was then sworn in by Gates Town Supervisor Mark Assini while Gates Police Chief James VanBrederode held the Bible. Once Nick was sworn in, students, faculty and staff gave him a standing ovation.
After posing for some photos onstage and being interviewed by the media, Nick happily waved from the front seat of Officer O’Mara’s police car as they hit the siren and left the Holley school campus. Nick spent the day with Officer O’Mara answering calls; making stops in Gates; and most importantly, visiting Dunkin’ Donuts to eat as many free donuts as he wanted.
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