Young wrestler is Police Chief For A Day in L.B.

Long Beach’s “Commissioner for A Day,” a 14-year-old New York State wrestling champion, rolled up to police headquarters last Friday in one of three squad cars, emerging to cheers from officers, bystanders and news photographers.

Dunia Sibomana, 14, won the New York State Wrestling Championship Feb. 26 at Albany’s MVP Arena when he pinned a No. 1 seed in 1 minute, 32 seconds.

An eighth-grader from Congo, in Central Africa, Dunia almost lost his life eight years ago when a group of wild chimpanzees attacked him and two family members near Virunga National Park, a huge animal preserve. He came to the U.S. in November, 2015 and underwent more than a dozen surgeries at Stony Brook University Hospital to restore his appearance and facial function.

He began wrestling four years ago with a youth program, coached by Miguel Rodriguez, who has since adopted him. He is also passionate about soccer and track.

Rodriguez, Long Beach’s middle school wrestling coach, accompanied Dunia to police headquarters Friday.

“He is very happy,” Rodriguez said as they two stepped out of a squad car and into the police stationhouse, where they were led on a tour of the building by Long Beach Police Commissioner Ron Walsh, executive officer Rich DePalma and other police officials.

Dunia was shown the communications room, the detective squad, the jail cells and was then taken to Walsh’s office, where he was asked to raise his right hand and take the oath of office as “Commissioner for A Day.”

He was given a proclamation, similar to one he was given a few days earlier by the Long Beach City Council. He was also given a Long Beach police shirt, a Long Beach police coin, and was taken to lunch by the police brass.

Dunia, a shy, quiet young man with a soft-spoken voice, smiled throughout the ceremony in Walsh’s office.

“You’re a very modest young man,” Walsh said during the ceremony. “I’m very proud of how you came along, You’re a model for everyone in your school. The things you’ve overcome in your life are things none of u here have had to overcome.”

He has evolved from being unable to speak English to being an Honor Roll student.

Asked if he wanted to become a police officer, Dunia said, “When I was younger, yes. But now I want to go back to my country and build houses for people to live.”