WENATCHEE — Seven new officials were sworn in Thursday onstage at Memorial Park to the screams of adoring supporters as rain poured down.
The seven new officials and the uproarious crowd of supporters are all students of schools in Chelan and Douglas counties selected as part of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival’s yearly Chief for a Day celebration.
Each new chief and sheriff for the many law enforcement and emergency services was decked out in a small uniform, and their parents pinned badges to the uniforms.
The new Washington State Patrol Chief Xander Chadderton, a Columbia Elementary student, wore the iconic, wide-brim state trooper hat as his father pinned his brand-new badge to his uniform.
Each respective agency head or representative introduced their new chief with a little bit about each of them. In the case of East Wenatchee Police Department Chief for a Day Isaiah Lynn, who turned 10 recently, the crowd of schoolchildren sang him “Happy Birthday.”
“He likes pink and green, loves ‘Bluey,’ loves investigative books … likes soccer and baseball, and he lives right down the street from me,” East Wenatchee Police Department Chief Rick Johnson said. “So he keeps an eye on me, knows when I’m not there.”
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Chief for a Day, Christiaan Cisnerson, toured the department this week.
“He got to assess some of the staff to make sure that we were up to his standards and appears so far after our evaluation of all of our equipments that we are ready to hand over the baton,” Sheriff Mike Morrison said. “I’ve already prepared his computer and the monitor in our office to make sure that we have Spider-Man on a constant loop as a screensaver.”
Cisnerson made sure to remind Morrison while he was speaking that he was also a big fan of Lego City, which are city-themed Lego sets.
The little chiefs and sheriffs were met with roaring applause, tambourines and a cowbell, including the first new chief introduced Thursday, Sabrina Sanchez-Escalera. She is a Lincoln Elementary student and a big fan of the YouTube channel’s “Blippi” and the Disney film “Turning Red.”
“Sabrina loves to paint and draw,” Chief Steve Crown said. “She loves her class, and she loves school. And we’re delighted to have Sabrina as the new chief.”
Capt. Mike Jewell introduced State Fish and Wildlife Chief for a Day Victoria Cuevas, noting Victoria’s love for Spider-Man as well as singing and dancing.
“Every time our officers have met with Victoria, she’s always greeted them with this big, infectious smile,” Jewell said. “I can’t help but smile back. She is full of energy. Her mom says that she starts from the moment she wakes up in the morning and she doesn’t stop until she goes to bed at night. So I think she’s gonna be a great fit for us here at the Department of Fish and Wildlife.”
