Ask Brooklyn Carlson why she wants to be a police officer and her answer is simple — “To help people.”
The 14-year-old Calgarian got a great taste of that life thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Calgary Police Service (CPS).
Spending a day with officers, she was sworn in as an honourary constable.
Carlson and her parents Grant and Cheri were guests for some special training sessions at the CPS Support Section facility, working with police dogs and getting an introduction to firearms with the Tactical Unit.
Make-A-Wish arranges a wide range of experiences for young people with serious illnesses.
Brooklyn was born with a rare brain condition.
“So her cognitive issues, balance, coordination — it’s affected everything in her life,” her father Grant said.
“(We were) told at about 15 months that she’d never walk — look at her now!”
After using a walker when she was younger, Brooklyn now gets around fine on her own.
Grant said training with the police helped his daughter’s “self-confidence, her morale.”
CPS Sgt. Jim Gourley said it was also a special experience for him and his fellow officers.
“It’s extremely rewarding,” Gourley said. “Our privilege — it totally makes our day.”
“It’s a dream come true,” Grant said. “An amazing experience for her and us as well.”