Miller Greenfield was officially administered the oath of office by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at NYPD Headquarters in New York City as an honorary NYPD police officer for a day. Photo courtesy of the Greenfield family

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) – He’s “NYPD Blue” and proud of it.

Miller Greenfield, 18, of Sacramento, is officially a member of the long blue line of New York’s finest.

Greenfield recently returned from a four-day trip to New York City with his proud dad, Dr. Johnny Greenfield, team physician for the Sacramento Kings NBA basketball team, after visiting New York City Police Department Headquarters at 1 Police Plaza in Manhattan where he was officially administered the oath of office by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch as an honorary NYPD police officer for a day.

His mom, Jessica Greenfield, owner and operator of Miller’s Ace Hardware in Citrus Heights, was eager to share her son’s good news, and Miller himself was delighted to share his badge and recall his recent experiences with the Citrus Heights Messenger.

Miller proudly wore a Sacramento Kings jersey to NYPD police headquarters before receiving, and then donning on a special police uniform shirt with an official shoulder badge and his own nametag especially embroidered on the front.

Miller’s Ace Hardware in Citrus Heights, which employs adults and youth with cognitive disabilities, is itself named after Miller, who has faced and overcome multiple neurological challenges to become a thriving young adult. He continues to brave challenges from dystonia deafness syndrome, a disease characterized by hearing loss and movement problems.

The Greenfield family is an active community supporter of Make a Wish and uses the Citrus Heights retail store as a location to help train Canine Companions service dogs. Miller’s Ace Hardware celebrated its two-year business anniversary last June and is a participating sponsor of the upcoming community Big Day of Service engaging the communities of Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks and Orangevale in completion of civic projects.

Miller enjoys his work helping customers at the store and, in his free time, enjoys hanging out in what he calls the “Ham House” where he’s a federally certified ham radio operator and has room to display his police and fire related badges and gear. He’s also currently a student, attending the Sacramento Metro Fire Department’s Citizen Academy.

Jessica Rowell-Greenfield, the owner/operator of Miller’s Ace Hardware and her son Miller. Miller, wearing an NYPD jersey, holds his honorary NYPD police badge. Photo by Thomas J. Sullivan

The recent trip from Sacramento to New York City to see a Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks game courtside at Madison Square Garden, came in the middle of the “snow-pocalypse” which blanketed the Big Apple.

Miller said he stocked up on winter clothing before making the trip east and came home with a suitcase chock full of New York City Police Department keepsakes and lasting memories.

Those materials will be added to his growing collection of police and fire badges, helmets and clothing received from some 150 different departments across the country, including Utah, Nevada, Hawaii and Illinois.

“I can definitely protect New York and keep the community safe,” Miller proudly declared after he was sworn in by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

His recent accomplishment was another proud step forward in his lifelong dream to “protect and continue to serve” his community.

The NYPD was previously sent a six-minute video from Ace Hardware describing Miller’s challenges, and the police department then contacted him to schedule an entire day of special activities, said his mom, Jessica.

While at NYPD headquarters, at the end of the “green mile” and a very long walk, as Miller recalled it, Tisch and her NYPD officers provided a commissioner’s briefing followed by a tour of the department’s Emergency Services Unit truck and a visit to its Mounted Unit horses and the K9 police dogs.

Miller Greenfield meets the NYPD horse unit. Photo courtesy of the Greenfield family

Father and son enjoyed some non-police work with an afternoon of sledding in New York’s Central Park.

Miller also visited the NYPD’s Joint Operations Center; a room filled with large screens that monitor all police-related incidents throughout the sprawling city. 

Once in a wheelchair, Miller is a young man on the move, standing tall and walking confidently.

Miller has overcome some 18 different surgeries since birth and was also matched with his own Canine Companions service dog, Bahama, in 2019 after a seven-month pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay, his mother said.

“Miller’s dog, Bahama, also had an incredible impact on his life, attending doctor’s visits and staying with him before and after surgeries and during procedures. She has also participated in his physical and occupational therapy and continues to be of help to him,” she said.

The young NYPD “officer for a day,” also got involved with the Sacramento Police Department through the Make-A-Wish Foundation before undergoing brain surgery in 2019, his father said in an interview published in the New York Post during his recent stay in the city.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and her NYPD officers had a full day planned for Greenfield – starting with a commissioner’s briefing followed by a tour of the department’s Emergency Services Unit truck and a visit to its Mounted Unit horses and its K9 police dogs. Photo courtesy of the Greenfield family

One of Miller’s first wishes was to meet the chief of police of the Sacramento Police Department and become an honorary police officer.

“He (Miller) stayed involved with our (Sacramento) local police ever since, even being promoted up to sergeant and lieutenant, and he continues to stay involved and go to the Sacramento police station,” his father said.

Miller also enjoyed great friendship with the officers and personnel of the Citrus Heights Police Department, but said he isn’t sure he has a CHPD badge in his collection.

“I’ll have to remind them of that,” he said with a smile.

The budding police officer also sang the praises of New York’s Finest as he was given a chance to leave a personal message in Tisch’s NYPD headquarters logbook.

“NYPD is better than SacPD,” Miller wrote, much to the joy of cops at headquarters who surrounded him.

Miller Greenfield looks over a selection of NYPD clothing and keepsakes which were given to him during his visit. Photo courtesy of the Greenfield family

His dad, Dr. Greenfield was even more definitive in his own entry: his son, “Lt. Miller is my hero.”

Miller’s Ace Hardware is located at 8077 Madison Ave. in Citrus Heights. Visit millersaceistheplace.com for more information or call (916) 760-8110.