VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - There's a new officer on the force in Virginia Beach.
Connor Schiffer, a special needs student at Plaza Middle School, was sworn in Monday as an honorary officer.
His classmates cheered him on during a special ceremony held at the school.
Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera was there as well to welcome him to the force.
"There are 806 officers in Virginia Beach. You make 807," Cervera told him.
After getting his badge, Connor took a quick break for a doughnut, then got right to work patrolling the school grounds. At one point he even made a traffic stop, pulling over his grandparents for 'speeding' in the school's parking lot.
Officer Nick Gauck wanted to give the 8th grader a special day before he heads off to high school.
"This makes him happy, but you can tell more he desires to help people," said Gauck.
Officer Gauck has known Connor for several years. He works at Plaza as the school resource officer.
"He means the world to me," Gauck said.
And to Connor, being an officer means the world to him. He's been part of the Crime Solvers club at the school for three years.
"That's all he's talked about was being a police officer," said Gauck.
Now, that long-time dream has become a reality.
When asked what the best part of being an officer has been so far, he responded "catching criminals."
After he and his partner finished patrolling the school's grounds, they made one more stop. They took a trip to the second precinct to check it out.
