Trent Kersey spent months training in Modesto’s police academy to become an officer, but the day before he was set to graduate, something even more exciting happened.
Shortly after the graduation rehearsal, Kersey’s wife went into labor.
“We did rehearsals on [Monday] and then I came home, talked to my wife, and we ended up going to the hospital,” Kersey told PEOPLE.
Kersey called the academy staff and his department to let them know that he wouldn’t make the ceremony.
“I’d rather be there for my baby’s birth than go to the graduation. I always put my family first,” said the new officer, who’s also a father to an 18-month-old son.
LifeNews is on TruthSocial. Please follow us here.
The Modesto Police Department didn’t miss a beat.
They wanted to ensure Kersey knew that the department supported his family and appreciated his hard work to protect the community.
Just an hour after Kersey and his wife, Victoria, welcomed baby boy Theo, the father received an unexpected call from his sergeant, offering a heartwarming proposition.
“My sergeant called me and said, ‘Hey, how would you feel if we and the chief came by and swore you in at the hospital?’” Kersey recalled.
Soon, Kersey was sworn-in as a police officer while cradling his newborn child.
