#RhondaStrong

Every Friday for the immediate future, Washington police will be honoring one of their own.

Officers will be wearing pink '#RhondaStrong” patches to honor the department's longtime administrative assistant Rhonda Hill, who is battling breast cancer.

'We've seen other agencies do that, wearing pink patches in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Police Chief Jim Lester said. 'That's when Rhonda was diagnosed, and we wanted to do something for her.”

The department designed and ordered 100 patches, with 30 going to officers and the other 70 to be sold at $10 each, with all proceeds going to Hill to assist with her medical costs and treatment.

Hill said she had mixed feelings when Lester first approached her about the special patches.

'I was shocked and then honored and appreciative but also a bit overwhelmed,” Hill said. 'I've always preferred to be the gal in the background, helping and supporting the department, but in that moment, I realized I was no longer in a supporting role; I was the main character.”

She said she understood that it was the department's way of supporting her in her journey.

'By the end of the conversation, I was full on excited to be honored in such a way,” Hill said.

Hill has been with the Washington Police Department for 16 years.

Lester, who has been chief for two years, said that her experience has helped him tremendously.

'She keeps things running,” Lester said. 'I joke with her that she's really the chief.”

The patches that were available to the public have nearly sold out.

'The response was tremendous with the purchase of the extra ones we had,” Lester said. 'I've reached out to the manufacturer to see what the turnaround time would be to get more.”

Hill, who was born and raised in Washington, is humbled by all the support she has received.

'The outpouring of love and well wishes from the community and my co-workers has been humbling,” she said. 'Knowing people want a patch, knowing they support me in my fight; it means the world to me, and I'm so grateful.”