About Us
Where it all began
The most frequent question we receive is if Charley has an officer in her family. Our whole family is full of first responders, including police, fire, military and medical. The desire to serve and protect is in her DNA however, that isn’t what created the passion she holds in her heart. In February 2017, we met two Peoria Police officers while grabbing a meal. Officer Williams and Charley clicked instantly when they began to talk to each other. He showed her all of the items on his belt and vest and her eyes were filled with excitement as she glanced over the tools her hands will someday hold. His act of kindness lit a fire in her heart that led Charley to a road that positively impacts our men and women on the blue line.
Hugs, smiles & photos with her Heroes
After meeting Officer Williams and McKenny, Charley asked for a utility belt of her own. She would write tickets, and play cops and robbers with her siblings and dogs. When we went out, Charley would stop and ask to hug every officer she saw and asked to take a photo with them. She would show her photos of her with her new friends to our family and friends with great pride. Mom noticed the smile on Charley’s face was full and vibrant with each encounter but, what she noticed more, was the joy beaming from the officers receiving Charley’s hug and seeing the smile their bravery brought her. Because of the good that came with each hug, we let the hugs go where God intended them to grow.
When she met her first female officer, Charley was so over joyed, that the newly 3 year old child ran across a large field as fast her legs could go and ran into and hugged the Officer’s leg so hard she almost knocked her over. This moment solidified her passion for police and the next thing she asked for was a uniform so she could be just like the girl Officer.
The uniform
After searching far and wide, we found Charley a quality uniform and she began to visit with police officers at Coffee with a Cop. Peoria PD and Phoenix PD adopted Charley with open arms and made her an honorary part of their Blue Family. They properly dressed her uniform with Patches, let her hang out at the precincts and asked her to come out to community events to help. Because of kind spirit and young leadership skills, she was soon promoted to Commander Charley, so she could work along side Retired Commander Tom VanDorn.
“Mom, they need me.”
When officer Phoenix Police Officer Paul Rutherford passed away, we talked with Charley about honoring his life and she wanted to be there for every moment to help her friends. She helped at the BBQ and made visits to check on her officers. On the day of the funeral, Charley asked if she could go. She said, "Mom, they need me. Police are supposed to support other police when they're having a hard time. I'm a police. They're my friends. They need me." She cared for her for Blue Family so deeply and felt so much a part of their world, that she felt she couldn’t let her officers face the ugly events of the day without her. This attitude has stuck with her and has became what Charley's Heroes is about, being there for our Blue Family no matter the need.
Community Policing
Charley's love of police grew from hugs to protecting them. No matter what was needed, she eagerly participated in or began small projects to help officers & their families, departments, and sister non-profits/unions to ensure someone was taking care of them. She began helping with fundraising, participating in community engagement events and did drop in visits to stations to ensure her officers were well taken care of. She asked her sister Ahleeya to help and together they care for our protectors.