By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor
Law Enforcement Regional Training Academy (LERTA) graduate Dylan Drzal admired and respected law enforcement officers growing up, so he did all he could to prepare himself to become a police officer before attending the academy.
Drzal’s enthusiasm for the career field was evident in the effort he put in to succeed at the academy, prompting LERTA staff to honor him with the Collin Birnie Scholarship Award at graduation.
“Dylan was chosen for the Birnie Award based on embodying the characteristics of the late Capt. Collin Birnie,” said LERTA Director Eric Rodgers.
The 23-year-old completed LERTA with a 90.62 percentile and was one of 19 agency-sponsored graduating cadets from the Mott Community College police academy on Dec. 11, 2025.
The $500 Collin Birnie Scholarship Award, which is sponsored by the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC), is named in honor of the fallen POLC Executive Committee member. It’s given twice yearly at the discretion of the police academy. 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.
“It was a great honor! It came to me as a surprise — I really didn’t know I was getting it,” Drzal said. “I heard the story from Collin Birnie’s two daughters about how this award really embodies their father. All I did was show up every day and put in a good attitude and did the work and helped out people when I could.”
Drzal graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2024 from Michigan State University. In college, he found opportunities to work in the field. He served as a Reserve Officer with the City of Williamston from January 2025 to July 2025, while simultaneously serving as a Meridian Township Police Cadet from March through July 2025 and a Michigan State University Police Cadet beginning in June 2023 and departing in August 2025 to join the police academy.
His hard work paid off when Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office hired Drzal and sponsored him through the police academy.
“Working these other jobs — even though it was very minimalistic — I just answered the telephone as a cadet. When people came in or called, I always had some satisfaction at the end of my interaction with them,” he said. “I really liked helping people out. It made me feel good.”
“I actually had a personal connection at Shiawassee and he asked me if I was interested in applying there and I said ‘yes,’” Drzal said of a family friend, who was the former Undersheriff. “I went in for an interview and probably a week later they called me and started doing background checks and paperwork, and eventually they said, ‘We’ll send you to the academy.’ I was talking with them and said even if I wasn’t going to be sponsored I would put myself through the academy. I just wanted to have a job when I got out.”
While Drzal was on the payroll during the police academy, on Dec. 15, 2025 he was officially sworn in as a Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office Road Deputy. It was a culmination of years of preparation and a childhood of aspiring to become a peace officer.
“From a young age, I grew up watching COPS with my dad and I really respected law enforcement. My parents taught me law enforcement are the good guys, and you should really support them,” he said.
COPS has been filmed on location since 2013, airing footage of actual law enforcement officer interactions on the job, so Drzal got to see real-time situations unfold and observe how police responded to those incidents. It was nothing like his employment as a teenager, which he found a bit monotonous.
“Working different jobs growing up, I kind of had the same schedule every day,” he said. “I was looking for something which I would have something new to do every day. With law enforcement, you never know what you’re going to get that day. I put all of this work in, so I’d have plenty of experiences that have me well suited to become a law enforcement officer.”
LERTA provided the remaining essential training and instruction Drzal needed to be fully prepared for his law enforcement career.
“Sgt. (Joseph) Hall and Lt. Rodgers were both great in the academy,” he said. “They really pushed everyone to do their best, and if people were struggling, they really had no problem doing one-on-one — especially in academics, physical fitness, and officer safety — all the things you really need to become a good law enforcement officer and stay safe out there.”
