In this day and age, there is nothing more important than keeping kids safe at school while they are attending classes. That’s why thousands of schools across America are now hiring armed security guards, including Bobby G. Lester Elementary School in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Their guard on duty is Officer Jeffery Cross.
He is out patrolling the hallways every day, making sure the kids are protected from threats. It’s something the parents and students both really appreciate. However, Officer Cross’s biggest fan by far is a kindergartner named Easton Blocker.
The five-year-old boy made thousands of people on the Internet smile recently when he dressed up as Officer Cross for Dress As Your Favorite Person Day.
His fascination with the officer and his job resulted in an adorable outfit that matched the older man perfectly. The only difference was that Easton’s shirt said “Junior Security” on the back, while Officer Cross’s simply said “Security”.
“From day one, he has always had a fascination with Officer Cross,” Easton’s mom Lauryn told 11Alive. “That shirt is probably going to stick with him forever. It means a lot to him.”
Lauryn was the one who helped Easton put together the costume.
It included black pants and the now cherished bright yellow security shirt. Ever since the day that the boy first met Officer Cross, he was interested in him. Unsurprisingly, various parents felt the same way at first, too.
“They had questions about why I was armed and I was just telling them, ‘I’m armed to protect them from someone bad who would come and hurt them,'” said Officer Cross.
The officer told everyone that he was there to keep the kids safe.
It was something that really made a big impact on both parents and Easton. Thanks to Officer Cross, Easton won’t ever have to worry about danger at school again.
“He tells me every day; Officer Cross keeps us safe from the bad guys, mommy,” said Lauryn.
“The love that that child has for him is overwhelming. Every morning he is out there greeting the kids. High fives and hugs. That’s what you can expect from Officer Cross.
It turns out, Officer Cross is a very easy guy to get along with and the students are very thankful that he is there.
With all of the things going on in the news lately, it makes everyone feel better.
Officer Cross really enjoys the friendships that he has with the students too.
He is making a big difference in their lives, especially Easton’s.
“Just for the fact that he shows his appreciation and he hugs me every day when he sees me every morning. It really makes my day,” said Officer Cross.
It’s not often that a student and a security guard share such a close bond. However, Easton has really connected with the man and looks up to him as a role model. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if, one day, Easton grows up and gets a job in law enforcement as well.
Although, for now, Easton has his hands busy with his role as Junior Security Officer, helping Officer Cross to patrol the halls and keep the other kids safe. Both of them appreciate each other a lot.
Watch the full news story about Easton’s costume for Dress As Your Favorite Person Day below.
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