About 70 law enforcement officers welcomed the five-year-old son of a slain police officer to a western Indiana school as he returned to class for the first time since his father was killed in a shootout.

Dakota Pitts asked his mother if one of his father�s friends could drive him for his first day back.

WTHI-TV reports Dakota got that special ride and when he arrived Monday morning at Sullivan Elementary School he was greeted by about 70 Terre Haute police officers and Vigo County Sheriff�s deputies lining the school�s entrance.

He was presented with a SWAT team shirt and badge during his arrival.

Dakota�s dad, Terre Haute police Officer Rob Pitts, was killed May 4.

Kelli Jones, Rob Pitts� sister, says Dakota knows �his dad was a hero.�

(AP)