An Irvine boy named Brandon spent a day wearing the badge of honorary police chief, riding in the department's Tesla Cybertruck, watching a SWAT demonstration, and getting sworn in by Chief Michael Kent himself. The experience came after Brandon's family won a silent auction supporting Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, turning a charity bid into a full day inside the Irvine Police Department.
According to a post from the Irvine Police Department, Brandon toured the department, met specialized units, sat in on a police briefing, and even had lunch with Chief Kent. A swearing-in ceremony marked the occasion, complete with a certificate identifying him as Chief for a Day, and the department capped things off by providing a motor escort to send him home.
A Cybertruck Built for Moments Like This
Part of what made Brandon's ride-along stand out was the vehicle itself. Irvine's Tesla Cybertruck, unveiled in October 2024, became the nation's first police Cybertruck after a custom build by UP.FIT at a cost of $153,175.03, according to Electrek. The department designated it for community outreach and DARE programs rather than routine patrol, using public safety funds specifically to foster positive interactions with local youth.
The truck is more than a novelty vehicle. Per GlobeNewswire, the build includes Whelen emergency lighting, a custom electrical harness for mobile data computers and radios, under-seat rifle mounts, and factory ballistic-grade stainless steel body panels, all completed by Unplugged Performance's public safety division.
SWAT, Drones, and a Trip to the Great Park Balloon
Brandon's day also included a SWAT demonstration and a drone demonstration, giving him a front-row look at two of the department's more technical capabilities. The Irvine Police Department expanded its unmanned aerial system program into a Drone as First Responder initiative in late 2023, dispatching teleoperated drones directly to 911 calls ahead of ground officers so they can assess emergency scenes in real time, according to DroneVideos.com. The department pre-positions drones on tall buildings to stream aerial video to arriving officers.
Beyond SWAT and drones, Irvine PD also runs a Mounted Unit on horseback for open-space trail patrols and community engagement, along with a Directed Enforcement Team focused on targeted crime prevention, the department notes. Brandon's itinerary took him outside police headquarters entirely for a stop at the Great Park Balloon, the Orange County Great Park's tethered helium balloon that opened in July 2007 as the park's first attraction. The balloon rises up to 400 feet and can carry 25 to 30 passengers per flight for 360-degree views of the region, according to Metrolink, on a site that once served as Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.
A Chief Who Started as a Teenage Explorer
The man who swore Brandon in has his own local roots in the department. Chief Michael Kent was sworn in as chief in September 2021, becoming the first chief in Irvine Police Department history to rise through the ranks from the department's Explorers program, which he joined as a high school student in 1993. Kent previously served as Assistant Chief and as a SWAT operator before taking the top position, per the City of Irvine.
Make-A-Wish's Roots in a Boy's Police Dream
The Chief for a Day experience carries a deeper connection to Make-A-Wish's origins. Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire was founded in 1983 as the seventh chapter of the national organization, which traces its inspiration back to 1980, when a 7-year-old boy named Chris Greicius wished to become a police officer, according to OC Nonprofit Central. That single wish grew into a movement spanning 57 U.S. chapters.
Since its founding, the Irvine-headquartered chapter has granted more than 8,400 wishes to children facing critical illnesses across Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, per Givsum. The organization appointed Anne Grey as its President and CEO in August 2024 to oversee chapter operations and fundraising initiatives, according to the chapter's own leadership page. Brandon's family helped fund those kinds of wishes for other children through their silent auction win, even as they secured Brandon's own once-in-a-lifetime day.
