Detroit's newest police chief (of the day) is a 7-year-old battling Hodgkin's lymphoma and sickle cell, with a penchant for fighting crime.

"I want to help people and I want the city to be protected," said Rodney Burton, III, who was named chief for the day Wednesday in a news conference at Detroit Police Headquarters after a ride in a police helicopter.

Rodney's mother, Johnai Evans, said Rodney was diagnosed with cancer last year, and despite the hard journey, has maintained his desire to become a police officer.

"We pray and trust that Rodney will be healed from sickle cell, but he's been battling it since birth," Evans said.

"He gets blood transfusions every two weeks, they say he has to do that for the rest of his life, but again, we believe in God... Through God, the cancer is gone now."

Rodney arrived at headquarters in a helicopter, surrounded by a SWAT team and state troopers. Chief James Craig walked him inside, where he shook hands with officers and swore an oath.

"This is an opportunity for him to live out a dream," Craig said. "He's certainly a young man who's courageous, a beautiful smile, and I thought 'Who better to exemplify courage than this young man?"

He joked that appointing Rodney chief took time, due to rigorous background checks and interviews. The decision to bring him in was made in April.

Rodney's favorite thing about being police chief: Getting people arrested.

"I'd make them put their hands behind their back, put the handcuffs on them and say 'You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,'" Rodney said.

He added that children in Detroit are in need of one major thing: Peace.

"He wants peace," Craig said. "That should be a message to anybody doing wrong in the city of Detroit: 'You want peace.'"

Rodney at one point in the ceremony turned to a commander and said "I order you to throw a party for kids."

While Rodney was in the hospital, Craig met him through a friend, Pastor Maurice Hardwick, who told the chief how much the boy wants to be a police officer.

After hearing about his dream, Hardwick bought Rodney his first police uniform costume.

"I prayed for him in the womb when he was born with the sickle cell trait," Hardwick said. "It hit me that this kid was fighting two death elements, yet still wanted to fight crime."

The boy's parents said Rodney loves basketball, wrestling, playing games and being a typical, tough yet loving big brother to his little sister.

"He already thinks he's famous, so I will allow this to think he's even more famous," Evans said. "He just loves to be seen."

Rodney is a second grader at David Ellis Academy in Southfield.

Craig said the department will continue visiting children's hospitals and will remain involved with the young "police chiefs" who have benefited from the program.

"To be able to give and fulfill a dream certainly brings some brightness to his life," Craig said.