The local police department was visited by a law enforcement supporter from another Indiana community earlier this month. On May 5, Cody Hickle and his father, Bob, from Fort Wayne, visited the Nashville Police Department as a part of a project they began last fall.

That project, which started in October, has been to connect Cody with as many police departments as possible, all across the country, to express support. Cody wishes to be a police officer himself, but because of a genetic condition, he is unable to join a force.

Cody, a 13-year-old, has neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), which is a rare condition that causes tumors to grow along nerves. Bob said last week that NF1 has affected Cody’s skeletal system. Bob said Cody faces physical challenges, but they are working hard to “overcome those challenges to accomplish Cody’s dreams” through their project.

According to Bob, Cody has supported law enforcement for a while — his interest in police began with a family friend, who is an officer in their area and does security for their church.

“I always wanted to be a firefighter, but then, all of a sudden, I wanted to be a police officer,” Cody said about his time spent with the family friend.

To connect with all the departments, Bob simply sends emails or uses Facebook. He reaches out to departments daily, sometimes contacting three or four in a single day, he said. He also keeps a list of all the departments he has contacted, so he does not accidentally reach out more than once.

In exchange for their support, Cody and Bob have received collectables from all the different police departments they have reached out to, in the form of uniform patches, challenge coins, poker chips and even K-9 officer trading cards.

All the items are unique to each department, which makes collecting them a thrill for Cody and Bob.

The collection began right at home with the Fort Wayne Police Department. Cody got a couple of patches from them, as well as one from an Indiana State Trooper who works in their area.

Cody’s relationship with Nashville Police began last November. Bob reached out to the department online, and he and Nashville officer Dylan Smock organized a meet-up at a police station near Indianapolis, where Cody had the opportunity to talk to the officers and ride in their patrol cars.

Bob said he told Cody that they were going to Riley Children’s Hospital for a check up that day, so the NPD meeting was a surprise. He said Cody was familiar with the trip to Riley, though, so he caught on to the different route.

“We said, ‘Well, there’s a detour, we had to take this detour,’” Bob said.

“And then I was wondering why there was police officers there,” Cody said.

Cody said he saw the police cars outside of the police station as they got close, then he got to get in those cars and operate their lights and sirens. Bob said he also got a “real treat” out of putting his parents in the backseat.

“I said, ‘Throw away the key,’” Cody said.

Visiting Nashville

The Hickles and NPD wanted to plan another meeting so Cody could come to Nashville and visit the department in person.

Nashville Police Chief Heather Burris said last week that they decided on a meeting date of May 5, so that Cody could ride along in the lead car in the Spring Blossom Parade the next day. During his visit to Nashville, Cody got a full tour of the department and met many of the local officers.

He was able to ask questions about all kinds of equipment, and he even got to try on a couple of bulletproof vests. Cody also shared his large collection with Nashville officers, who took interest in all the unique designs, or pointed out departments they were familiar with.

After touring the NPD, he also had the opportunity to visit and tour the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, which granted him a look at dispatch and the jail.

After the tours, Cody, Bob, Burris and three Indiana Conservation Officers had dinner in town.

The following day, on May 6, Cody rode along with Officer Smock in the lead patrol car in the Spring Blossom Parade in Nashville.

Bob said last week that Cody had a great time, and was sad when they went back home — so sad, in fact, that he asked to move to Brown County.

Bob expressed thanks to the Nashville Police Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Department and the town of Nashville.

“I am thankful for what they did for my son,” Bob said.

“It’s great to see a smile on his face.”

Burris said it “means the world” to her and the rest of the police department be able to give the experience to Cody.

More than just a collection

Cody’s collection includes around 360 patches and 135 coins, as well as many poker chips and cards from police departments all over the country and up into Canada. He has even received a challenge coin from the FBI Cody said he hopes to one day expand the collection even further around the globe.

However, the project means more to Cody than just building up a cool collection. Each item represents a different police department, with real officers on the job. Cody said he likes to be able to meet officers and thank them for their service when he receives the items.

Cody said one of his favorite things he has received was a special coin from Southport.

“It was a special coin because one of their officers was killed in the line of duty, and it was about him,” Cody said.

Cody also asked his dad to attend a funeral for Indiana State Police Master Trooper James Bailey, who was struck and killed by a vehicle earlier this year.

“We’d never been to a funeral for a fallen officer before,” Bob said.

“It was very emotional for everybody.”

Bob guessed there were around 600-700 officers at the funeral from all over the country, and he described what he saw as a “brotherhood.”

Cody went up and paid tribute at the funeral, while wearing his own custom police badge. Bob said the funeral director saw him and gave him a flower arrangement from the funeral. Cody and his dad were also in the funeral processional that day.

Cody said he tries to support law enforcement officers because “they keep the community safe, and do what they can to help the community, including sometimes sacrificing themselves for other people.”