By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award recipient Khoder El-Hallani was inspired by his three brothers to become a law enforcement officer, honoring the memory of one of them. 

El-Hallani was one of two pre-service recruits in a class of 54 who graduated from Wayne County Regional Police Training Academy (WCRPTA) on May 7, 2026. 

The $500 Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award, which is sponsored by the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC), is given twice yearly at the discretion of the police academy to graduates who have not been sponsored by any police agency. Qualifying cadets must pass the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification test and meet MCOLES employment standards to become certified Michigan Law Enforcement Officers.

Completing the academy with a 3.6 GPA, the 19-year-old made quite an impression on his fellow recruits and academy staff for his overall performance. “This recruit consistently demonstrated professionalism, strong work ethic, and a positive attitude throughout the academy,” said Erik Tilli, WCRPTA Director. “He showed leadership among his peers, accepted constructive feedback, and continually worked to improve his skills. His commitment to teamwork, accountability, and high ethical standards distinguished him as a role model within the class and made him a deserving recipient of this award.”

“It was honestly a surprise. It meant a lot to me to receive the award, especially when it was unexpected,” El-Hallani said. “Starting this academy as a pre-service recruit, paying for everything out of my own pocket … and having to push myself through all of this at such a young age, knowing other people are out there (to help) made me feel connected in a way. I got hired with Canton PD in the last two weeks of the academy, so I was kind of blessed in that sense, but I had to pay my way through the academy. It helps out a lot with financial situations right now as far as paying bills.” 

El-Hallani was the Week #1 Recruit of the Week. He received second place in Driving Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVO) and third place in Defensive Tactics (DT), which covers suspect control, self-defense and proper use-of-force techniques, handcuffing, takedowns, weapon retention and ground fighting. “Recruit of the Week is selected by their peers for their performance and teamwork,” Tilli said.

“I was a Sergeant at one point in the academy … in charge of the squad and platoon and you delegate responsibilities to them and make sure they’re doing their jobs,” El-Hallani said.  

Upon completion of the Police Academy, El-Hallani obtained the remaining credits needed to receive an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Schoolcraft College. 

He’s following the example of his two older brothers, who served as Detroit Police Officers. While his brother Hassan El-Hallani has moved on to a different profession, his brother Husayn El-Hallani is currently searching for his next law enforcement position. But it’s his brother, Ismail Jaafar, who passed away unexpectedly, who left a lasting impression on him.

“It had to do with my brother who passed away in 2019 on March 22. I was 12 and he was 17. It was quite a time in my life. He was a big motivating factor of getting in this job. My brother was going into the National Guard, but unfortunately passed away that March. He wanted to be a police officer later in life,” El-Hallani said. “Both my older brothers, who I really look up to, gave me a huge motivating factor to be in law enforcement. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

“I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to go out and put a smile on other people’s faces and honoring my brother (Jaafar accomplishes both),” he said. “If I can go and do that job right, it‘s very rewarding at the end of the day.”

WCRPTA greatly expanded El-Hallani’s brothers in blue. “As far as the academy went, it was honestly a great experience, very eye-opening, and got us prepared for law enforcement,” El-Hallani said. “It was a very rewarding experience to build those friendships, the strong relations with the coordinators and instructors, and knowing you will have those relations after the academy. It feels good, from day 1 all the way to week 17.”