13-year-old DJ Daniel, honored by President Trump, to be sworn into St. Louis-area police departments

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The teen cancer survivor honored by President Donald Trump and sworn into the U.S. Secret Service earlier this month is set to receive a big honor coordinated by a local police department.

“For those who saw that moment unfold, it was magical,” Major Steve Runge with the Berkeley Police Department told First Alert 4, referencing President Trump’s honoring of 13-year-old DJ Daniel.

Six years ago, DJ was told he had just five months to live after a brain cancer diagnosis. He fought hard and beat the cancer, but now, it’s back, and his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer is on the fast track.

DJ has already been sworn into more than 900 agencies across the country.

“We were going to swear DJ in as a [honorary] Berkeley police officer,” Runge said. “And his dad asked, ‘Well, St. Louis has a lot of other departments. His record for being sworn in at one time is 68 police departments, do you think you can break that?’”

So, Runge started reaching out.

“His dad’s trying to get him all over the country,” Runge said, “so I said, ‘Why don’t we bring the country to him?’”

Friday, all police departments in Missouri were notified of the Berkeley Police Department’s goal to shatter Daniel’s previous record, Runge said.

“We’ve also reached out to all agencies in Southern Illinois. Soon, police departments all across the country and around the world will in,” he said.

Dozens of police departments and law enforcement agencies have already sent over oaths of office with DJ’s name on it, ready for his signature. The goal is to have more than 100 agencies take part in a mass swearing-in ceremony in St. Louis this spring, which would smash the current record.

Runge said it’s a lot to coordinate, but Daniel is well worth the effort.

“What I ire about [DJ] is he’s walking the walk, and he’s talking the talk. He wants this, and we’re gonna give it to him,” Runge said.

First Alert 4 also got an exclusive FaceTime with DJ and his dad, Theodis Daniel.

When asked what he was most looking forward to when coming to St. Louis, DJ said, “Traffic stops and hugs.”

The mass swearing-in ceremony is set for April 15, 2025.

Berkeley Police have created a GoFundMe to cover Daniel’s and his family’s travel expenses. To donate, click here.

DJ is also set to participate in St. Louis County’s Police Academy, the first time he will go through real-life police training.

Berkeley Police shared the list of participating agencies as of 3 p.m. Friday:

1. Arnold Police Department
2. Ballwin Police Department
3. Berkeley Police Department
4. Breese IL Police Department
5. Bridgeton Police Department
6. Cape Girardeau Police Department
7. Clayton Police Department
8. Des Peres Department of Public Safety
9. Edmondson Police Department
10. Ellisville Police Department
11. Florissant Police Department
12. Greenfield IL Police Department
13. Guns & Hoses
14. Hillsdale Police Department
15. Ladue Police Department
16. Lake St. Louis Police Department
17. Liberty Police Department
18. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department
19. Maryland Heights Police Department
20. Manchester Police Department
21. Missouri Police Chiefs
22. Monroe County IL Sheriff’s Department
23. Overland Police Department
24. Palmyra Police Department
25. Plattsburg Police Department
26. Pleasant Valley Police Department
27. Richmond Heights Police Department
28. Rock Hill Police Department
29. Rolla Police Department
30. St. John Police Department
31. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
32. St. Charles County Police Department
33. St. Louis County Police Academy
34. St. Louis County Police Department
35. Shrewsbury Police Department
36. Sunset Hills Police Department
37. Swansea IL Police Department
38. University City Police Department
39. Washington University Police Department
40. Washington County IL Sheriff’s Department
41. Webb City Police Department
42. Webster Groves Police Department

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