By Jesse Leavenworth

Source Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

ROCKY HILL, CT—Law enforcement officers from 24 Connecticut agencies gathered in Rocky Hill Tuesday to honor and hearten a Burlington boy, saying the 10-year-old embodies the courage their profession demands in his ongoing battle against cancer.

Collin Genetti-Moore has loved everything to do with police since he dressed as a cop for Halloween at age 2, his mother, Megan Genetti, said. Wearing a police vest and carrying a training Tazer and training handgun on his hips Tuesday, Collin had amassed a trove of uniforms and gear from departments around the state and region, including a New York City Police Department riot helmet, his mother said.

Her son, however, sometimes feels low these days, Genetti said. In March, Collin had a second relapse of Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that affects bones and soft tissue. To fight the disease, the boy must endure monthly chemotherapy sessions that sap his energy, Genetti said.

So, the surprise event in Rocky Hill was meant to boost Collin's spirits, according to the main organizer, state Inspector Tracy Enns. Since June, Enns has been urging police department representatives to gather around Collin and show him the level of admiration he's built among the state's law enforcement community.

The event started shortly after 10 a.m. with strobe-lit police vehicles lining a roadway in the corporate park where the state Division of Criminal Justice is based. About 50 people, including state employees and workers from a neighboring office building, cheered as Collin arrived in a Canton police van with a rumbling escort of police motorcycles.

In the parking lot, Collin greeted New Britain police Officer Ray Ouellette with a handshake and hug. Ouellette said he met Collin when his wife, a nurse at Connecticut Children's Medical Center, helped treat the boy after he was first diagnosed with cancer in 2022. He called Collin "extremely strong and determined."

At a brief indoor ceremony, Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin hailed the young police enthusiast as "one of our own."

"We want you to know that Connecticut law enforcement loves you," Griffin said.

Enns, a former Canton police officer, said she first learned about Collin about 2 1/2 years ago when Canton Officer John Phelps (Enns was already a state inspector at the time) told her that a woman had come to the police station saying her ailing son wanted to collect police items. Phelps and other officers found patches, uniforms and gear for the boy, Enns said. Collin also has been invited to police training sessions and other events. His mother's Facebook page is filled with photos of her boy in a variety of uniforms standing with officers from every type of police unit, including SWAT, K-9 and marine specialists.

Collin's story has expanded beyond Connecticut borders and he has been sworn in as a Massachusetts state trooper. Enns read a letter from Bay State Trooper David Frederick, who called the boy "the ultimate example of what humble courage looks like."

Collin also received gifts Tuesday, including a glass star from the Connecticut criminal justice division inscribed, "We admire and support you. You are a bright and shining star."

In his remarks, Griffin told the boy he will grow tall and strong, but he also urged Collin to reconsider his preference for Massachusetts law enforcement. Collin, however, has said troopers in the Bay State have "cooler hats" than Connecticut troopers. He also said in a brief interview that Massachusetts has bigger police agencies than Connecticut and more crime to fight.

Asked why he has wanted to be a cop since he was a toddler, Collin said he didn't really know, but he does want to help people. His mother said there are no police officers in their immediate family.

Collin was first diagnosed with cancer in March 2022, Genetti said. After a brief remission, his cancer returned in December 2023 and now again this year, she said. Genetti said the surprise gathering on Tuesday helped her son's recovery.

Enns said, "I can honestly say I've never been so proud of my profession."

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