On Tuesday October 1st, Sergeant Sammy Scully, the youngest recruit of the South Australia Police (SAPOL), fulfilled his dream of becoming a police officer during an exciting outing at SAPOL’s Echunga Training Reserve.
When Police Commissioner Grant Stevens first swore in Sergeant Sammy, he particularly “expressed an enthusiastic desire to blow ‘stuff’ up”. Thanks to a collaboration with radio station Mix 102.3, this wish became a reality.
Sammy, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in January last year, was joined by the Bomb Response Unit (BRU), his family, friends, and other officers for a memorable day.
He kicked off his shift with an introduction to robotics. Already familiar with Xbox controllers, he got to operate a massive 450kg robot which cost $500,000. But, he found the smaller 2.5kg robots much more appealing, saying, “I like the little robots because the big robot is too complicated.”
After some fun with x-ray equipment, BRU officers showcased their 38kg protective suits. Sammy briefly tried on a helmet before his sister Abigail put on the entire suit. When given tennis balls to test the suit’s protection, Sammy keenly said he would indeed target Abigail, saying “Yes, and it’s going to be awesome.”
The highlight of the day came when Sergeant Sammy safely activated a Hollywood-style controlled explosion from 100 meters away, all while wearing protective gear.
Commissioner Stevens expressed gratitude to everyone who made the day special for Sammy. “Sammy’s got his own challenges,” Stevens said, “but days like this show the side of the police family that not a lot of people get to see.” He praised the team’s commitment to making the day awesome for Sammy, who has already visited police horses, boats, and helicopters.
At the end of the day, Sammy was thrilled and asked, “Can we do it again?” SAPOL was delighted to welcome him back for another amazing experience.
To read more from SAPOL, click here.
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