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Boy becomes Ottawa Co. deputy for a day

Posted at 8:05 PM, Jun 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-06 20:05:36-04

WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Seven-year-old Peyton Porter has always said he wants to be a police officer when he grows up.

On Thursday, he got the opportunity after being sworn in as an honorary deputy with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office after a deputy heard his story.

Peyton was born was an aggressive form of rhinitis pigmentosa, a rare disease that takes some of his sight each day until he eventually loses it all. Despite all that, he remains an energetic and positive kid.

Early in the day Deputy AJ Rietberg surprised Peyton and told him his services were needed before taking him for pizza at the Jamestown Township Fire Department.

When they got back to headquarters, Peyton intervened in a pretend purse snatching in the parking lot alongside the SWAT team. Deputy Peyton stopped the crime and handcuffed the suspect.

After making his first arrest, Peyton got to go for a tour and joined the K-9 unit for training in locating banned substances and tracking suspects.