He’s a hero with a heart of gold and doesn’t even know it. After all, Devarjaye, or DJ, Daniel is just an average 10-year-old boy. Or is he? DJ arrived in Baytown this week to be sworn in by Chief Stringer as an officer with the BPD. That doesn’t sound normal. He’s now an officer for hundreds of law enforcement agencies from around the country. That’s not normal either. It’s extraordinary, just like DJ, a boy with a dream and a passion for life.
This 10-year-old from the Houston area has a goal to not only become a police officer, but to honor those who serve us. While DJ is a pint-sized officer, his personality definitely is larger than life. Whether it’s posing with officers in Baytown or New York City, his animated smile lights up with everyone he meets. DJ doesn’t take credit for the idea to be an officer for as many agencies as possible. He will tell you that came from 7-year-old Abigail Arias. Abigail dreamed of working in law enforcement. Sadly, she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in 2019. That’s when her mission became DJ’s mission.
With each visit he makes, he talks about his love for first responders, while bringing awareness to childhood cancer in a way to honor Abigail. He can be seen in pictures doing the “Abigail Reach” pose. The pose, created by DJ’s friend, consists of a larger-than-life smile and arms open wide in an effort to reach out to spread hope to everyone. He might wear a badge of honor from each agency, but hidden is the badge of courage he wears in and out of the uniform. You see, like his friend Abigail, DJ also has cancer. He has terminal brain and spinal cancer. Three years ago, he was told he only had five months to live. While DJ is defying the odds, he has never let his prognosis define him.
DJ often says, “I’m going to keep going until my gas runs out!” He starts every day with a full tank though because he still has a mission. His goal was originally set at joining 100 law enforcement agencies. Baytown was his 574th. He takes a little something with him from every visit, from Memphis to Montgomery County. However, DJ definitely left an unforgettable piece of him with the Baytown Police Department.
Chief John Stringer said, “DJ’s indomitable spirit is an example and inspiration to us all. We are proud to have him as an honorary Baytown Police Officer. Now, no matter where he goes or what he does, every Baytown Police Officer is his brother and sister and we will carry him with us always.”
Today, and every day, we will follow Officer Daniel’s remarkable journey. You can too, by finding him on Facebook. We thank DJ’s father Theodis and the entire family for sharing this moment with us.