Wes Johnson, a 17-year-old facing a terminal illness, was honored as an honourary cadet in the St. Thomas Police Service during a special event on Wednesday. Brent Lale reports.
Wes Johnson has officially become the latest cadet in the St. Thomas Police Service (STPS).
This 17-year-old, who is dealing with a serious illness, was celebrated by the police force on Wednesday as their first-ever honourary cadet.
“When I was younger, I said I wanted to be a police officer like every other four-year-old would do,” said Wes.
At the badging ceremony, Johnson recited an oath, received his own badge and uniform, signed a contract, met with the K-9 unit and even got to try out a taser at police headquarters.
“It’s a special day for the police service, the community and most importantly, Wes,” said Mark Roskamp, chief of the STPS. “He showed some admiration for the police and I’m returning that admiration and respect back to him. We made him an honourary cadet, which is a first for our police service.”
Weslee Johnson – St. Thomas – March 2026 Weslee Johnson, 17, a terminally ill St. Thomas, Ont., teenager shows off his new badge given to him by the St. Thomas Police Service on March 25, 2026 (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London)
CTV News has had several meetings with Wes over recent months-first at his living celebration of life in February and then again after he returned from Florida where he fulfilled his wish of meeting the Toronto Blue Jays.
Wes was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which is a serious congenital heart condition.
He has gone through multiple surgeries but while waiting for a heart transplant he reached a point where his body could no longer accept one.
Doctors have told his family that he only has weeks left to live.
Wes felt overwhelmed by all the support and people who came out for the ceremony. Off-duty officers were present along with Mayor Joe Preston, city councillors and members of the Police Services Board.
“It’s an honour to meet the chief of police in your hometown,” said Wes, who was surprised by how well-fitting his police uniform turned out to be. “The vest is not as heavy as I thought it would be.”
Weslee Johnson – St. Thomas – March 2026 Weslee Johnson, 17, a terminally ill St. Thomas teenager was named honourary cadet by the St. Thomas Police Service on March 25, 2026. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
A soft-spoken young man; he felt somewhat nervous about delivering his oath in front of so many people.
“I was a little nervous about the speech,” he mentioned. “Before the event we came an hour early and then rehearsed the speech a little bit.”
The STPS believes policing revolves around people being compassionate and forming meaningful connections.
“We often talk about how important resilience and compassion are when serving others,” stated Roskamp.
He continued: “Wes embodies those values in such an authentic way. He reminds us why we wear our badges-to support serve alongside members of our community during both their hardest times and their most significant moments. Granting Wes this title as honourary cadet reflects our respect for his journey along with our admiration for his strength and commitment to stand beside Wes and his family.”
RELATED STORIES:
Source link
Weslee Johnson – St. Thomas – March 2026 Weslee Johnson, 17, a terminally ill St. Thomas teenager was named honourary cadet by the St. Thomas Police Service on March 25, 2026. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
A soft-spoken young man; he felt somewhat nervous about delivering his oath in front of so many people.
“I was a little nervous about the speech,” he mentioned. “Before the event we came an hour early and then rehearsed the speech a little bit.”
The STPS believes policing revolves around people being compassionate and forming meaningful connections.
“We often talk about how important resilience and compassion are when serving others,” stated Roskamp.
He continued: “Wes embodies those values in such an authentic way. He reminds us why we wear our badges-to support serve alongside members of our community during both their hardest times and their most significant moments. Granting Wes this title as honourary cadet reflects our respect for his journey along with our admiration for his strength and commitment to stand beside Wes and his family.”
RELATED STORIES:Source link
