Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton appointed 4-year-old Jonathan Keen of Hope as his newest and youngest deputy on Friday Dec. 16.
Keen is suffering from Stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer he is currently undergoing treatment at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
Keen was scheduled to attend the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department Christmas Party Friday night but had to be taken back to ACH the first of the week. So, Friday morning Sheriff Singleton and four of his deputies, Investigator Justin Crane, Deputy Matt Dunham, Deputy Mike Braddock, and Deputy Becky Billings travelled to Little Rock to make sure Keen’s appointment went through on time.
Sheriff Singleton presented Keen with an official deputy’s badge and a framed certificate appointing him as an official Hempstead County Deputy Sheriff “Special Assistant to the Sheriff” and of course Keen’s official sheriff’s patrol car decked out with sheriff’s decals. The sheriff assigned radio number 699 to use when he is on official duty.
After Keen was officially sworn in, the sheriff and his deputy’s presented him with presents.
Several business and citizens of Hempstead County contributed funds buy Christmas presents for Keen, his sister and brother, who were able to attend the the Christmas party Friday night. The sheriff had made arrangements for Santa Claus to take time out of his busy schedule to personally deliver those presents to his brother and sister.
“We thank all the citizens who helped us make Deputy Keen’s Christmas a little brighter,” the sheriff said. “Please keep Deputy Keen and his family in your prayers.”
