DPS Personnel Attend Make-A-Wish Ball

In December 2017, members of the DPS SWAT Team went to extraordinary measures to grant a Wish for Raiden Aguilera. His wish: Be a SWAT Member; Status: Granted!

DPS members were invited to attend the Make-A-Wish Ball this year for their great efforts in giving Raiden such a special day.

Raiden’s Wish Day started at the DPS Aviation Hangar where he was sworn in as a SWAT Member by Col. Frank Milstead, given a “mission” and then flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) where he has been receiving treatment. After PCH, he joined SWAT in their armored vehicle to locate the “bad guys” that stole teddy bears from PCH, did a sweep of a building and rescued the teddy bears! Watch the full recap of Raiden’s Wish Day below!

On March 23, 2018, members of DPS attended the Make-A-Wish Ball. The Ball opened by showing a video recapping Raiden’s Wish. Col. Frank Milstead then followed the video with an opening speech explaining DPS’s history with Make-A-Wish and the great joy it was to grant Raiden his wish.

DPS’ journey with Make-A-Wish began with Chris Greicius, a young boy suffering from leukemia, who wished to “catch bad guys”. Chris began the idea of “Make-A-Wish”. He received his own replicated DPS uniform, a “Smokey” and an old badge of a DPS employee; at that moment, he became the first honorary DPS trooper. Chris’ mom, Linda, was also in attendance at the Ball (pictured right) and got to relive her memories of Chris’ Wish through Raiden, who has been the only child DPS has granted a Wish for since Chris.