Teen with Down Syndrome becomes SI for a day in Chennai

Chennai: In a gesture of goodwill, city police helped a 19-year-old boy with Down Syndrome realise his dream of becoming a police officer. The teenager, Stevin Mathew, assumed charge as a sub inspector at the Ashok Nagar police station for a day. Stevens family is settled in Doha in Qatar and is on a short visit to the city, where they are originally from. “I am police, I am police,” is what Stevin’s parents heard him utter a lot while growing up. “Be it from the movies or from what he has seen, he has always been influenced by the police,” Rajeev Thomas, the boy’s father told DC.

Thus, when Stevin’s parents, Rajeev Thomas and Dr Ciby Mathew approached city police commissioner A. K. Viswanathan with a request a week ago to help their first son realise his wish, the commissioner duly agreed. Assistant commissioner Vincent Jayaraj and inspector Suryalingam visited the boy at his residence and interacted with him and made arrangements for his welcome ceremony at the police station on Friday evening. On Friday, around 5 30 pm, Stevin was ushered into the Ashok Nagar police station as the personnel welcomed him with bouquets. “He had his own uniform, given his own desk, a walkie talkie. It was almost like fulfilling his dream,” Rajeev Thomas gushed.

Inspector Suryalingam told DC that they also informed the boy about basic policing and crime prevention. He was later put on a patrol jeep accompanied by two constables and sent on duty around Ashok Nagar. “It was a heartening gesture by our department and I felt happy to be a part of it,” the inspector said.  As far as Stevin was concerned, he was beaming with pride, according to his parents. The boy is studying in a school for special children in Doha where he has completed a diploma in computer applications.  “It is pertinent to parents who have special children and the society to know that children with disabilities have to be given an opportunity for them to achieve,” Rajeev Thomas said.