Army son surprises St. Pete police sergeant with holiday homecoming

Lieutenants with the St Petersburg Police Department helped to orchestrate a homecoming surprise for one of their colleagues on Christmas Eve.

According to police, Sgt. Samora Church had not seen her son, Private Second Class Daeveon Oliver, since July, when he left for basic training and was not expecting him home until January. Church was unable to attend his swearing-in and graduation ceremonies due to coronavirus restrictions.

Church’s reaction was captured in a video shared on the police department’s Facebook page.

"With a little help from his family and SPPD lieutenants, he showed up at headquarters, just in time for the holidays, to surprise Sgt Church," the police department wrote on Facebook.