Four-year-old boy ‘obsessed’ with police thanked for patrolling help during meet-up with East Leeds officers

Oliver, aged four, goes and comes back from school everyday in his police uniform dress up outfit, whilst spending his weekends wearing it to patrol the Crossgates shopping centre. So, ahead of Christmas, mum Joanne Wrigg wrote to the police force asking for a letter from them to give to Oliver. Much to Joanne’s delight, the East Leeds policing team told her they would also come and personally visit Oliver before a shift. Joanne said: “I thought I'd ask for a letter on the off chance they'd send one and then I got a call telling me they'd come and see him. "They came with two bikes, it was all socially distanced and it absolutely made Oliver’s day. “Every time he hears or sees a police van he tells me they’re part of his team so he thought the officers who came were his ‘team buddies’ and he wanted them to pick him up in their police van and take him to the station. “Oliver chatted away to the officers and they thanked him for all his policing and patrolling help and it was just amazing that they gave up 15 minutes of their time to do this for him.” The police officers who visited Oliver told Joanne they would also send the thank you letter for her to give to her son as something to keep. Oliver is a local celebrity in the Crossgates shopping centre where he spends much of his free time walking round in his uniform. Joanne added: “People have told me they see Oliver all the time around the centre and that they know who he is. "Also, a lady who was the victim of a crime down our road told me she feels safer knowing Oliver is on the street walking round and that he really cheered her up after her upset. “I’ve no idea where this obsession has come from but he’s really interested in the police force. “After a rubbish year the visit just really cheered him, and me, up and I can’t thank the officers enough.”