End of Watch – July 21, 2024
On Sunday July 21 at 11:42 am “Officer Down” was called into the Melvindale Police Department.
Melvindale is a little city in the state of Michigan -less than three square miles in size. My mother grew up there. I grew up there. My daughter is now growing up there. Three generations worth of time spent in this city. They call it the “Little City with a Big Heart” and that is such a true statement. Being in such a small area you become a close-knit family. My mother is still in the same house that I grew up in, and my daughter is there with her while I work – essentially growing up in the same bedroom that I did.
We live on one of the back roads in Melvindale- less than a mile from the city limits of Detroit, separated by some train tracks. We don’t always see a lot of traffic back there. Over the 21 years that I lived there, my mother’s car was broken into on 2 different occasions and that is really all that I can remember for the “crime” that happened around us. On the corner of our street (at the main road) there is a gas station and a car wash. I spent 21 years of my life, walking, riding my bike and driving to this gas station. I have vivid memories of walking up there with my next-door neighbor to get snacks during the summer when we were growing up. It was a big part of my childhood. I spent a lot of my childhood all over the streets of Melvindale. My grandma lived on the other side of the city, you know the other 1 square mile of it, so we were always close. Our own little “Stars Hollow” if you will. (For those of you that get that reference, I love you!)
Mohamed Said, 26, was a resident of Melvindale. He attended Melvindale High School – where my mother also went to school. I went to a private school, but I was still raised in this loving city. He remained a resident of Melvindale into his adulthood years. He started out as an Ordinance Officer for the city. He graduated from the police academy just over a year ago. His family said that his biggest dream was to become a police officer. In an interview with his brother, he said that Officer Said – aka “Moe” – took a drug addict to the hospital every single day. He wanted to make the streets of Melvindale safer for its residents. He wanted to clean up the motels in Melvindale that are bad news. He wanted to keep the drugs away from our children. From my child! His brother then mentioned that he loved to play soccer and wanted to wear jersey number 10. He was badge number 10. They also showed a picture of his license plate on his car that bared the number 10.
It has also been mentioned that he was anonymously trying to gather donations for toys for the children of Melvindale. How beautiful is that! This is just proof that there is still some good in the world. They said you never seen Moe without a smile on his face. The Chief of Police said when he seen Moe, he would ask him how he was, and he would say “I’m good Chief. I got you. I got you.” He said Moe went to him when he was in high school and asked him, “How do I become the police?” He could tell that Moe had a true passion for it, and he watched him from beginning till the end. If Moe was not out doing something with his 7-year-old brother that he left behind, the Chief said he was at the station seeing what he could do to help. On and off the clock he was a hero.
Sunday Morning he was called to that same car wash area where he seen two suspects with multiple bags and no vehicles. He wanted to see what their status was and if he could help them. The suspect fled on foot and Officer Said went after him. When he tried to taze the suspect, it was then that he was shot. Fatally shot. He called for backup when he went on foot to chase the suspect, but unfortunately backup did not arrive in time. When asked for location over the radio, there was no longer a response.
In an interview with his partner, who heard his last words – he said that Moe’s goal was to destroy those motels in that area that welcome crime and drugs to make the streets of Melvindale a safe place. A true hometown hero. He lost his life keeping my daughter safe. I can’t shake this feeling of thankfulness and grief. When you drive the streets of Melvindale you see blue ribbons everywhere. It continuously brings a tear to my eye. I didn’t know Moe personally, and my daughter is obviously not the only child in Melvindale – but she is there. My family is there and have been for years. This selfless 26-year-old man gave his life trying to keep the evil out of Melvindale. Even writing this, a tear streams down my face. I just can’t comprehend it. Why did evil have to win? Why does Melvindale have to learn to go on without Officer Said? I can just imagine all the good he could have done for the city. His partner said that they will continue with his goal and work to make the streets of Melvindale a safer place. I hope that one day we will be able to see Officer Said’s vision come to life and see a city that does not have these run-down motels harboring drugs and crime the way they do now.
While watching the ceremonies for his funeral: the 21-gun salute, the folding of the flag and presenting it to his dad, the end of watch call – I cried. A heart break that I truly can’t describe. How can my heart hurt so much for someone I didn’t even know? I think of my daughter when I think of this tragedy. I picture her running up and down the street that I grew up on, blocks away from that fatal morning. I think of that criminal running towards her – and I picture Moe giving up his life to fight to keep her out of harms way. Chills. Instant chills. This man, who does not know my daughter, gave his life for her. And yes, I know that the criminal was not after my daughter, but he was in our neighborhood! Just blocks away from where my daughter was. He had a weapon, he had drugs – things could have been so different.
During his remarks Melvindale Chief of Police said,” Don’t just remember him, resemble him.” These words could not be truer. We need more people like Moe in this world! We need good, we need light, we need positivity! We need to remember Moe and strive to be more like him. Always wearing a smile on our face, doing what we can to help a friend or a neighbor. It costs $0 to be nice. Remember that.
I want this post to remain in remembrance of Officer Said. I will have another post with more information on his killer.
Rest In Peace Officer Said – Thank you for everything you did for our community. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice. Melvindale will never be the same without you. Watch over us and keep us safe. Keep your brothers and sisters in blue safe out there. We gained a guardian angel when you were taken from us. God has better plans for you.
