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PEARL, Mississippi (WAPT) — A 4-year-old boy is traveling across the country, visiting law enforcement agencies, collecting patches, and dedicating them to a Mississippi deputy recovering from a violent traffic stop.
On Thursday, Slater Bynum visited the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, where he met law enforcement officers and added to his growing collection of patches.
“He’s too young to realize it, but he’s building bridges between the community and law enforcement,” said his father, Terry Bynum.
With every visit, Slater collects a patch, and his father said the collection has grown significantly.
“Too many to count,” Terry Bynum said.
Bynum explained that Slater’s passion for law enforcement is deeply personal.
“He wants to be a cop, and in his mind, he is now,” Terry Bynum said.
Slater’s admiration for law enforcement has also inspired him to support Covington County Deputy Yates Rodney, who was shot during a violent traffic stop in Mt. Olive in June. Rodney sustained a spinal cord injury during the incident, leaving him paralyzed from the lower chest down. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where he has been making progress, including practicing yoga.
After seeing Rodney in recovery, Slater decided to dedicate his patches to the deputy.
“Meeting all these officers, he kind of took it to heart,” Terry Bynum said.
Col. Tadd Pitts expressed his appreciation for Slater’s efforts.
“This helps us remember why we do what we do,” Pitts said.
Terry Bynum said he hopes to foster his son’s positive relationship with law enforcement.
“I always want him to have a positive experience with law enforcement and never a negative experience whatsoever because there is so much negativity with law enforcement these days,” Terry Bynum said.
Slater, who hopes to collect 1,000 patches, is determined to be a positive force in his community, supported by a growing list of mentors.
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