BLUFFTON, SC () – A change at the top of one local police department. The Town of Bluffton going a little younger, at least for one day.

Emily and Auria McKinley were officially sworn by Bluffton Mayor Larry Toomer in as “police chiefs for a day” on Wednesday.

The sisters received this honor after their family won an auction at St Gregory the Great School.

The “former” Chief Joe Babkiewicz was on hand for the big ceremony to hand over the reins to the Department.

“We don’t want our kids to see the kids in our community just to see us when there’s trouble or where there’s something going on, ” explains Babkiewicz. “We want to have fun with the kids, and we want them running to us and not away from us. And this is a great way to do that.”

The girls got 24 hours in charge of the whole department…. and immediately went to work on a very specific plan for what they wanted to do first.

“What’s the first thing you want to do as police chief?”
“Protect everybody,” said Emily.
“What did you just tell us in your in your news conference what you wanted to do?”
“I want this to be a no homework day for all of Beaufort County.”

Emily and Auria even got a special send off before coming back to the department in the afternoon. Lights and sirens and a police escort back to school.