By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

Oakland Community College Police Academy Cadet Stephen Kage was honored with the Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award at graduation, inspiring him to share his community-minded leadership qualities with others.

“I wrote this in my donor letter. For law enforcement, (the Weiler Award) meant I’m taking a stand to help people that are forgotten,” Kage said of the appreciation letter he sent to the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC). “That award meant that I will work toward encouraging someone else to take a stand, to be an example, to be a leader and help other people.”

The $500 Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award, which is sponsored by the 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.

Kage graduated with a 93.11 percentile from the academy. He was among 11 pre-service cadets in a class of 52 cadets who graduated on Dec. 12, 2025. 

He was chosen for the Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award based on his overall scores and well-rounded performance, said Oakland Police Academy Director David Ceci.

The 19-year-old has always been interested in helping others, prompting him to learn more about law enforcement by taking a criminal justice class in high school. He received his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Oakland Community College, also in December.

His older brother, Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Kage, was an influence on his decision to enter into the profession, but not his sole motivation. Deputy Kage has served the past 4 years with the Sheriff’s Office.

“My brother is not necessarily the reason I joined. There are a lot of reasons I was inspired to go into law enforcement,” Stephen Kage said. “I’ve always wanted to work closely with people’s mental health and work closely with individuals. I think my brother was a good example, and he set the example of what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself.” 

Just a few days after graduation, Stephen Kage joined his brother as a newly hired Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy on Dec. 15. Thanks to his positive experience at Oakland Police Academy, he understood the strong bonds formed between law enforcement officers even before he was officially sworn in. 

“I don’t remember who said it, but an instructor had said that this academy and the people in it would become like family, and I didn’t believe it at first, but looking back now there is nobody that I wouldn’t go fight alongside,” he said. “We are like family.”