LUNENBURG — Hunter Specht, a 7-year-old boy with a rare form of epilepsy, is the police station’s newest, and youngest, “deputy.”

On Friday afternoon, a envoy of police cars pulled up to Hunter’s home about a mile away from the Public Safety Building. They met him in the front yard under sunny skies and presented him with a special gift: His own miniature police cruiser, and a replica badge, for the boy wants to become a K-9 officer.

The department’s actual K-9 officer, Josh Tocci, got the idea for the mini cruiser after learning Hunter plays make-believe issuing pretend traffic tickets to family members.

“When Sarah (Hunter’s mother) started telling me that he was using his assistance dog and pretending it’s a canine and giving out tickets at home, we thought it was a great way to include him in the department,” said Tocci.

Hunter’s mother, Sarah Specht, said her son pretends to be Tocci with his assistant dog, Angel, subbing for the department’s K-9, Jerry.

Sarah Specht said members of the Lunenburg police department respond to her house periodically when Hunter has seizures, and “make it here before the ambulance.”

“The police are the ones who are always there for him, it’s important for him, it’s important for every kid to know that,” said Sarah Specht. “Hunter knows he can trust his doctors and the police.”

Hunter tested out his new ride, which was customized with a replica radio and flashing blue lights.

“So how does he radio you?” Sarah Specht joked to Police Chief James Marino.

“He yells really loud,” Marino said, adding that his officers came in on their days off to give Hunter his cruiser.

“This is a happy kid right now,” said Marino. “That’s what I like to see. I’ve got a good staff here.”

Tocci said Walmart donated the Ford-replica car and D&G Custom Graphics in Fitchburg applied the police decals.

Hunter wants to one day become a police officer, and has a good role model in Officer Tocci, who, as a fifth-grade boy, found his own role model in none other than Chief Marino.

Marino was a drug resistance education officer at the time, and gave a presentation to Tocci’s class.

“To this day I have a picture of me standing next to him with a little police hat on, said Tocci. “Seeing him in the school, his professionalism his attention, he was a big push for me, inspired me to sort of go into law enforcement.”