The Dearborn Police Department has named Corporal Mohamad Farhat its 2025 Officer of the Year, recognizing his “exceptional professionalism, proactive performance, leadership and commitment to public safety.”

The honor marks the culmination of a nearly decade-long law enforcement career for an immigrant who came to the United States from southern Lebanon as a teenager in pursuit of a better life.

In announcing the recognition, Dearborn Police said Farhat, who serves in the Neighborhood Police Unit, “consistently goes above and beyond his regular duties” by addressing residents’ concerns, assisting patrol officers, responding to calls, enforcing traffic laws, making arrests and taking proactive measures when needed.

The department added that his dedication to supporting his colleagues and placing the community first “embodies the highest values and principles of the Dearborn Police Department”, congratulating him on the “well-deserved recognition.”

An immigrant teenager’s beginning

Farhat arrived in the United States in 2001 at the age of 15, carrying memories of a childhood spent in southern Lebanon, where years of war and instability under the Israeli occupation cast a shadow over his early life.

Corporal Mohamad Farhat

Farhat told The Arab American News that beginning a new life in the United States was not easy, particularly because he did not speak English. His previous education had been conducted in Arabic and French.

Learning a third language presented a significant challenge, but assistance from his teachers in Dearborn helped him adapt quickly to his new surroundings. It took him about two years to become comfortable speaking English.

Speaking to residents in their own language does more than make conversations easier—it also helps build trust.

The language barrier did not prevent him from pursuing his education. Farhat graduated from Fordson High School in 2005 and attended Henry Ford Community College for three years before earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Madonna University in 2011.

At the same time, Farhat worked to help support his family. He began working at Greenland Super Market, also known as Al-Mustafa Market, in Dearborn shortly after arriving in the United States at age 15. He remained there throughout his college years and until shortly before joining the Dearborn Police Department in 2016.

Giving back

Discussing why he chose a career in law enforcement, Farhat, 40, said his personal experience after arriving in the United States greatly influenced his decision. The support he received during his early years inspired him to give something back to the community.

He told The Arab American News that joining the police department offered him an opportunity to do that by protecting residents and helping the community that played an important role in building his new life.

After joining the Dearborn Police, Farhat’s Arab and Lebanese background took on an additional dimension in his daily work. He noticed a communication gap between some police officers and residents, particularly when linguistic and cultural differences arose in a city with a significant Arab American population.

Farhat said his fluency in Arabic and familiarity with the community’s culture placed him in a position to help both sides understand one another. Speaking to residents in their own language, he said, does more than make conversations easier — it also helps build trust.

For Farhat, Arabic is no longer simply a language he speaks. It has become a tool that helps him perform his duties within a community he knows and to which he belongs.

The path to the badge

Before beginning his work on Dearborn’s streets, Farhat completed an intensive training process that included 17 weeks at the police academy, followed by six months of field training and a one-year probationary period during which he was evaluated by a supervisor.

Four years after joining the department, he was promoted to corporal and continued serving in the city where he had lived since his teenage years.

Drawing on his own experience, Farhat encourages Arab American young people who want to make a difference in their communities to consider careers in law enforcement.

“Being a police officer is an honorable profession,” he said, adding that those who want to protect their communities and contribute to positive change can find a path to doing so through law enforcement.

Family motivation

Alongside his professional journey, Farhat credits his family with supporting him throughout the years. He has been married since 2010 and is the father of two daughters.

He said much of the effort he invested in building his future was motivated by his desire to provide his daughters with a stable and dignified life different from the childhood he experienced amid war and instability.

Farhat also acknowledged the support of his wife and fellow police officers, saying it helped him balance the demands of his profession with his family responsibilities.

Officer of the Year

Speaking to The Arab American News about being selected as the department’s 2025 Officer of the Year, Farhat expressed pride in the award, saying its meaning extends beyond the recognition itself and motivates him to continue serving and accomplishing more.

I am honored and humbled to receive this award. It makes me want to give even more to support the community.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” he said. “It means a great deal to me and makes me want to continue doing what I do and give even more to support the community.”

Farhat also thanked the Dearborn Police Department, Chief Issa Shahin, his wife and his two daughters, emphasizing how much their support means to him as he continues his career.

Nearly a quarter-century after arriving in the United States as a teenager who could not speak English, Farhat is now an honored police officer in the city where he grew up and built his professional and family life — a journey he chose as a way to give back to his adopted homeland.