Boy honored after cleaning up graffiti at St. Cloud park

ST. CLOUD, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - A child who came out to play at St. Cloud's Lakefront Park ended up cleaning off something instead -- all for police officers.  Eight-year-old Elijah said he saw something scribbled on the sidewalk that bothered him.

"It broke my heart," he said.

It was about the St. Cloud Police Department, his grandmother, Jamie Rose, explained.

"Eight or 10 negative things. He did not know the meaning to many of the words. He just knew they weren’t nice and wanted to fix it," she said.

So his grandmother took out some chalk and Elijah took matters into his own “heavenly” hands, she said. 

"I just crossed the words off," he said.

Rose said she is raising Elijah to "back the blue."

"They’re willing to put their life on the line and sacrifice the ultimate sacrifice," she said

Elijah agrees, adding, "I felt like something I had to do."

It was something that didn’t go unnoticed. Elijah was even given a badge and made a junior police officer by St Cloud Police. 

"This is for you and what you did was an amazing thing," of the e Department,"and it takes a lot of courage to go against the opposite of what society feels towards law enforcement these days."

This second grader wanted to make sure officers knew how he felt.

"You guys are a good team and that we support you," Elijah said.

"Thank you Elijah. It means a lot to us what you did," Sgt Delarosa replied,   "It’s one of reasons why we put this uniform on everyday.  So one by one say said, " Thank you Elijah. Thank you buddy appreciate it. Thank you Elijah. Thanks buddy."

The police officers also invited Elijah to the station to meet the chief.