Amari Polanco has loved police since he could say the word.
His father is a police detective in Baltimore, and he has uncles in law enforcement.
While the 3-year-old from Egg Harbor Township may have some time before he is able to fulfill his dream, he got a chance to report for duty this weekend thanks to a chance meeting while out to eat.
Amari and his grandparents were at the Chick-fil-A when Amari saw a police officer and went to say hello.
Atlantic City Police Lt. Charles Stuart talked with Amari, who was dressed in his own pint-sized police uniform.
Lt. Charles Stuart invited Amari when the two met at Chick-fil-A."Everywhere he goes, if he sees a police officer, he has to go talk to them and take a picture," said proud mom, Fatamah Molley. "By the end of breakfast, he was invited to come to roll call with ACPD."
Amarit talked about the upcoming trip all week. So he was all set Saturday morning, decked out in his favorite uniform.
He didn't show up empty handed, bringing a box of doughnuts from Dunkin' for his "fellow officers."
Amari then got to spend the day in the roll call building on the Black Horse Pike.
He made the morning roster and got to learn about body cameras and using handcuffs, met a K-9 team, got fingerprinted, opened a lockbox and got a full tour.
"I am incredibly proud of our officers who have embraced community policing, building trust and strengthening relationships that go beyond the badge," Chief James Sarkos said.
"This was an amazing morning for AYP," grandmother Aisha Molley wrote on her Facebook.
She was with Amari when he got his invitation.
"Thank you, ACPD," she wrote. "We appreciate you and your time."
Now, Amari is ready to show back up to work again tomorrow.
Amari Polanco, 3, got to be an Atlantic City police officer for a day.
