Article updated: 5/14/2013 7:54 AM

Little boy joins elite police unit

Buy this photo Buy this photo
Gallery Image

Eli Levandowski-Gifford, left, a first-grader from Benton, and his brother, Caleb, smile while Eli operates a police robot during a special police training exercise .

Associated Press

About this Article

A visit to a special police training exercise made Eli Levandowski-Gifford's day. Eli, a Benton first-grader who was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma tumors last year, was invited to stop by as Illinois State Police SWAT, methamphetamine team and Southern Illinois Drug Task Force conducted training in Benton on May 2.