Police officers, 6-year-old advocate hailed as local heroes at Pekin Council meeting

New business items were not the highlight of Monday’s Pekin City Council meeting. While the Council had its fair share of City business to discuss and vote on, the highlight came just after the Pledge of Allegiance with the public recognition of a few local heroes.

An advocate for first responders since the age of 3, Sophia Richards, 6, of Peoria, received two awards at Monday’s meeting. IACP named her a recipient of an Outstanding Citizen award, and the City of Pekin presented her with an Exemplary Citizen Award.

“Sophia Richards has been an outstanding supporter of the Pekin Police Department, recognizing the good they do and supporting the law enforcement community in their times of need,” said Pekin Mayor Mary Burress. “(She) is not only an ambassador to our local first responders, but also recognize and visits with law enforcement agencies across the nation to bring down barriers and show the world the good that our law enforcement truly does.“

With the help of her parents, Terry and Veronicah, Richards began a Facebook page called “Sophia Salutes First Responders” in 2020, where she spreads awareness of positive encounters with law enforcement. She has also been visiting police departments across the United States to deliver treats and her message of support.

Pekin Police Chief John Dossey noted that the time Richards began her social media campaign was a time of civil unrest in the United States. The national conversation regarding law enforcement officers, he added, had begun to turn negative.

“At the same time, a small voice could be heard that was the opposition to all the negativity,” Dossey said. “It was a small voice that spoke out in support of our law enforcement, and in particular, our local law enforcement. Just three years old at the time, she utilized social media to change the dialogue. Day by day, her presence grew in the law enforcement community.”

Richards was clearly at home in the spotlight. Invited to briefly sit in Burress’ seat, she claimed not only the seat, but the gavel, which she rapped several times on the dais as a call to order.

“We chose to remind our heroes that they (are) loved, valued and appreciated,” Richards wrote Tuesday on the “Sophia Salutes First Responders” page. “We choose to stand in the gap spreading joy to every police officer that we come across, because they are worth it!”

Representatives of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) were also on hand to present awards to Pekin Police Department Officers Nick Appel, Caleb Boyer and Wes Washburn for their heroism in saving a four-year-old child last February.

The three officers entered the water at Lake Meyers to rescue the child, who had fallen through the ice. The child survived the incident and suffered no side effects.

“In law enforcement, we get the opportunity to work with everyday heroes,” said IACP Executive Director Kenny Winslow. “This is the definition of everyday heroes, and an example of the quality work that men and women around this country and around the state do every day.”

This article originally appeared on Pekin Daily Times: 6-year-old Sophia Richards hailed as local hero by the City of Pekin