SULLIVAN, Ind. — An Indiana boy had to take what was probably one of the most difficult trips to school, but he didn’t go alone: His father’s brothers in blue were with him every step of the way.
Dakota Pitts, 5, is the son of Rob Pitts, a police officer from Terre Haute, Indiana, who was recently killed in the line of duty.
Dakota's mom asked the police department if someone would escort him to school, but never imagined that not one, not 10, but 70 officers and other supporters lined the sidewalk Monday to welcome Dakota back to his school, WTHI reported.
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Dakota asked his mom if one of his dad’s friends could drive him to school for his first day back. Little did he know that would turn into 70 Terre Haute and Vigo County officers showing up in Sullivan. He was shocked 💙 pic.twitter.com/lbXquLdTJU
— Kiley Thomas (@KileyWTHI) May 14, 2018
"It's a brotherhood. It's not like any other job you're going to have. Guys are close. You form bonds that you wouldn't form in a different profession. When somebody's in need, we go, especially for a fallen officer and his kid," Detective Less Hamm told WNDU.
The SWAT team gave Dakota his own SWAT shirt and badge.
"He will definitely know his dad was a hero. Blood doesn't always make family and I think the blue family went above and beyond," Dakota's aunt, and his father's sister, Kelly Jones, told WTHI.
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