A surprise party greeted Perry Police Department Officer Trevor Hickey Wednesday afternoon at the Hotel Pattee, a reward for his completing 16 weeks of training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston and attending the academy’s graduation ceremony Wednesday.
The 2007 graduate of Fort Dodge High School was hired by the Perry Police Department Oct. 23, 2017, and started his academy training almost immediately.
At the graduation ceremony, Hickey received his law enforcement pin from his cousin, Amanda Buenting of Rockwell City, whose husband, Officer Jamie Buenting, died from a gunshot wound in the line of duty as an officer of the Rockwell City Police Department in 2013.
“It was very emotional for me,” Buenting said at the Hotel Pattee party. “This was the first graduation I’ve attended since Jamie’s.”
A photograph of Jamie Buenting brightened the table of refreshments at the party, and Amanda Buenting and her children, Ethan, 13, and Kalie, 11, seemed as proud of Hickey as his parents, David and Jody Hickey, and his brother and sister, Jared West and Emarie Hickey, all of Fort Dodge.
“He worked very hard for this,” said Jody Hickey. “We’re very proud of him.”
Trevor Hickey joined the Iowa Army National Guard after high school and served in Iraq in 2008 and 2009.
“We were scared for him when he was in the military,” said David Hickey. “That was a nerve-wracking job he had then, and now he’s taking another nerve-wracking job.”
Trevor Hickey’s wife, Mica Hickey, arranged the afternoon surprise party. She works at the Hotel Pattee as the events manager, so she knows how to throw a party. The refreshment table included two dozen boxed donuts and another dozen donuts under glass.
It must be a cop joke.
“Doing army stuff and helping in the community was what got me interested in police work,” said Hickey, who was congratulated at the party by a steady stream of friends and fellow Perry Police Department employees, including Chief Eric Vaughn, Officers Matt Aswegan and Caleb Wallace, Dispatcher Norma Penado, with others arriving in turn.
Perry Mayor John Andorf, Perry Community School Board Vice President Linda Andorf and Perry City Administrator Sven Peterson were also among the well wishers.
