EPHRATA — “Ladies and gentlemen, today isn’t about solving complicated and elaborate criminal cases or educating the motoring public on the real meaning of those ‘speed limit’ signs. It isn’t about entering burning buildings or putting out fast-moving wildland fires. It is not about putting our lives at risk by simply doing our jobs when serving our communities,” Grant County Undersheriff Dave Ponozzo said during Thursday’s Chief for a Day event.

“Instead it is about celebrating the human spirit.”

That human spirit was nowhere more evident than in the smiles of the 14 local children who had been chosen to serve as an honorary chief. Dressed from head to toe in official uniforms, the 14 chiefs were ecstatic to simply be around the local police officers and firefighters who had gathered in front of the Grant County Courthouse. The day is a favorite not just for the kids and their families, but for the police officers and firefighters as well.

“This is the best day of the year for us,” Ponozzo declared. “I feel nothing but good when I see these kids standing out here.”

Thursday’s event, which was sponsored by the Thomas A. Boruff Foundation, was the 16th annual Chief for a Day ceremony. After each of the honorary chiefs was officially sworn in by Grant County Superior Court Judges John Antosz, John Knodell and David Estudillo, they were introduced to the sizable crowd gathered outside the courthouse.

The Chiefs for a Day were as follows:

Daniel Macgregor, Ephrata Police Department, introduced by Chief Mike Warren.

Brooklyn Hamilton, Soap Lake Police Department, introduced by Chief Ryan Cox.

Addyson Hines, Grant County Fire District No. 13, introduced by Battalion Chief Dan Dishon.

Jimena Pruneda, Warden Police Department, introduced by Chief Rick Martin.

Dominic Armstrong, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, introduced by Deputy Chief Mike Hobbs.

Alex Gutierrez, Royal City Police Department, introduced by Chief Darin Smith.

Benjamin Boorman, Moses Lake Fire Department, introduced by Chief Brett Bastian.

Adrian Martinez, Washington State Patrol, introduced by Lieutenant Grant Clark.

Acacia Mattson, Ephrata Fire Department, introduced by Chief Jeremy Burns.

Jose Bertin Herrera Perez, Mattawa Police Department, introduced by Chief Joe Harris.

Clint Turner, Quincy Police Department, introduced by Chief Bill Larson.

Alma Guadalupe Guerrero Ramos, Grant County Fire District No. 8, introduced by Chief Dave Patterson.

Luis Ramon Guizar, Moses Lake Police Department, introduced by Chief Kevin Fuhr.

Ray Fricke, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, introduced by Sheriff Tom Jones.

After the Grant County Board of Commissioners read a proclamation which made June 8, 2017, the official day for the “Chief for a Day” event, the 14 chiefs and their families got the opportunity to check out some police vehicles/equipment and fire engines that were on hand and later met in the courthouse’s multi-purpose room for gifts and refreshments.