Autistic lad wears police outfit to keep town safe
- 14 days ago
An autistic lad who loves the police wears a cop uniform to help control traffic on his street.
Finley Bollen, six, dresses in an officer's hat and outfit everyday - keeping his town and its people safe on the roads.
He has autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder - but his mum Emma says being a copper has 'transformed' him and his behaviours for the better.
Finley, of Clevedon, Somerset, is well known in his home town and gets saluted as he does his duties.
Emma said: "As a mother who is so proud of her son who struggles with life to have found his thing it is amazing - and he is keeping Clevedon safe!
"The cars slow down for him - he gets beeped, salutes and waves wherever he goes, everyone loves him!
"Wherever he goes wants to be the guy who looks after the safety of everything - keeping an eye on the road, he loves it.
"He can be very challenging but oh my gosh being a policeman has transformed him."
The young boy's passion for policing started about a year ago, when he found a deep interest in blockages, road signs, road safety and police duties.
But last month he decided to turn his hobby into a reality - as he patrols not only on the road he lives on, but also the local train station and anywhere he attends which needs an extra touch of safety.
Finley likes his doughnuts on the job - and wears his cop outfit everyday to school.
But on the rare occasion he is not wearing his cop outfit - he will wear his school jumper with a badge that Emma says "still makes him look like a cop!"
Though Emma admits his police hat "is always on - whenever we go".
The mum-of-two who lives in Clevedon said: "The police thing has been one of his obsessional things which he just absolutely loves.
"When Finley knows what he wants and likes it, he will take it very serious - he's so quirky and funny and just amazing."
"He wears his UK or US cop outfit and keeps everyone in order wherever he goes.
"Even when we were in Turkey on holiday last month he decided to help keep the peace at the pool.
"Even when we go to hospital appointments - which he used to absolutely hate - when he wears his cop outfit they are so successful, and they haven't been like that since he was one.
"Being a police officer has dominated him into a different kind of being and it is working is so many different ways!
"He even started directing the traffic at the ski centre a couple of weeks ago.
"It's so funny because everyone goes into character around him.
"If you talk to him like a cop you are sorted!"
Emma admits she is not allowed to sit near Finley when he is completing his control checks, she explained: "I love it, I go and sit with him but he doesn't like me to be there because he doesn't want anyone to think he's not official.
"But as a mother I can't let my six-year-old sit on the road and direct traffic - so I am always standing by!
"I know have a fold-away chair so I can sit on the other side of the road to keep an eye."
Finley Bollen, six, dresses in an officer's hat and outfit everyday - keeping his town and its people safe on the roads.
He has autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder - but his mum Emma says being a copper has 'transformed' him and his behaviours for the better.
Finley, of Clevedon, Somerset, is well known in his home town and gets saluted as he does his duties.
Emma said: "As a mother who is so proud of her son who struggles with life to have found his thing it is amazing - and he is keeping Clevedon safe!
"The cars slow down for him - he gets beeped, salutes and waves wherever he goes, everyone loves him!
"Wherever he goes wants to be the guy who looks after the safety of everything - keeping an eye on the road, he loves it.
"He can be very challenging but oh my gosh being a policeman has transformed him."
The young boy's passion for policing started about a year ago, when he found a deep interest in blockages, road signs, road safety and police duties.
But last month he decided to turn his hobby into a reality - as he patrols not only on the road he lives on, but also the local train station and anywhere he attends which needs an extra touch of safety.
Finley likes his doughnuts on the job - and wears his cop outfit everyday to school.
But on the rare occasion he is not wearing his cop outfit - he will wear his school jumper with a badge that Emma says "still makes him look like a cop!"
Though Emma admits his police hat "is always on - whenever we go".
The mum-of-two who lives in Clevedon said: "The police thing has been one of his obsessional things which he just absolutely loves.
"When Finley knows what he wants and likes it, he will take it very serious - he's so quirky and funny and just amazing."
"He wears his UK or US cop outfit and keeps everyone in order wherever he goes.
"Even when we were in Turkey on holiday last month he decided to help keep the peace at the pool.
"Even when we go to hospital appointments - which he used to absolutely hate - when he wears his cop outfit they are so successful, and they haven't been like that since he was one.
"Being a police officer has dominated him into a different kind of being and it is working is so many different ways!
"He even started directing the traffic at the ski centre a couple of weeks ago.
"It's so funny because everyone goes into character around him.
"If you talk to him like a cop you are sorted!"
Emma admits she is not allowed to sit near Finley when he is completing his control checks, she explained: "I love it, I go and sit with him but he doesn't like me to be there because he doesn't want anyone to think he's not official.
"But as a mother I can't let my six-year-old sit on the road and direct traffic - so I am always standing by!
"I know have a fold-away chair so I can sit on the other side of the road to keep an eye."