December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Ridgewood Honorary chief honored by buddies in blue “Tonight we’ll have an extra moment of silence in honor of the passing of our little friend, the little guy with the big smile, Michael Feeney,” Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn said as he pronounced the Ridgewood Village Council’s traditional moment of silence for military per- sonnel and first responders. Feeney, 10, lost his battle with Ewing’s sarcoma. The youth, who was named Ridgewood Police Chief for a Day, won the hearts of the entire force. He died before he had a chance to light the Christmas tree as had been scheduled. “Michael demonstrated the traits of a true leader, inspiring others with his courage, his compassion for others, and his desire to make a positive difference for his community and for young people,” said Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward. Feeney was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, an extremely aggressive form of cancer, when he was six. He At right: Michael Feeney receiving his honorary police chief badge from Chief John Ward attended classes at Hawes Elementary School and won the awe of his classmates when he appeared with a county and local police escort after being named Ridgewood’s Chief for a Day at a ceremony attended by Police Chief Ward and many senior officers and other police personnel at the Ridgewood Council Chambers. Chief Ward had offered Chief Feeney is own badge for the day, but Michael, who told the press that being Chief for a Day felt “great,” seriously told Chief Ward that the regular chief would need his own badge. Chief Ward then had a special badge made for Feeney to wear. Ridgewood’s Community Policing Youth Ambassador Program has been named after Michael Feeney. Feeney received a full police funeral last week with burial at Valleau Cemetery in Ridgewood.