Remembering Officer Mohamed Said, proud HFC alumnus

The HFC community was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Officer Mohamed Said of the Melvindale Police Department. Officer Said was killed in the line of duty on July 21, and he was laid to rest following a July 26 funeral at the Dearborn Mosque.

Officer Said, who was an alumnus of HFC and the Wayne County Regional Police Training Academy at Schoolcraft College, had long dreamed of being a police officer. Melvindale Police Chief Robert Kennaley first met Officer Said when he brought a police dog to Melvindale High School, where Said was a student. Kennaley later helped him get admitted to the police academy. Once he joined the force, Officer Said was beloved by the community. He served with the Department for 14 months.

An “End of Watch” call ceremony was held during Officer Said’s funeral. This is a ritual in which a police dispatcher issues a call to the deceased officer, followed by a moment of silence, another call, another moment of silence, and then a spoken tribute to the officer.

Officer Said is survived by his parents and two younger brothers. In an interview with WXYZ Channel 7, Said’s younger brother Ahmed talked about how many people his brother touched, and that he always had their best interests at heart. The young officer cared about his community and wanted to keep everyone safe.

"You know we lost a hero. We lost a brother. The whole city lost someone who cared about us, who was trying to make the city better," said Ahmed. "He would say ‘I’m keeping you safe, I'm keeping my mom and my dad safe. I'm keeping the city safe.’”

HFC Assistant Director of Enrollment Services, Assessment, and Orientation Nikole Ford-Kondraciuk taught Officer Said in her online Fundamentals of Speaking class at HFC. She recalled how he stood out in her class as someone who took great pride in his work and was never afraid to ask for help.

“Regardless of the challenges he faced, Mohamed always smiled and showed appreciation to those who assisted him. Despite having a lot on his plate, he maintained a positive attitude,” said Ford-Kondraciuk. “At one point, when we had a speech due, he mentioned that his family members were all sick with Covid, but he didn't let anything hinder his success. He even shared that he had taken five classes the previous semester while working six days a week, and he was still academically successful.”

She met Officer Said in person in 2022 when he came to the Welcome Center to pick up his tickets for commencement.

“We immediately recognized each other,” recalled Ford-Kondraciuk. “He expressed his desire to thank several of his teachers and was filled with pride at the thought of walking across the stage. He mentioned his intention to return one day in his police uniform to visit my class and inspire students to pursue their goals. Even after graduating from HFC, Mohamed kept in touch. He invited several HFC instructors to his police academy graduation at Schoolcraft. Mohamed always remembered those who helped him and was dedicated to giving back to others. He was passionate about learning, his career, and positively impacting others. His presence will be greatly missed.”

Online fundraisers have been set up to honor Officer Said and to assist his family.