by Brett Stolpestad
Garaad Sahal will become the first Somali-born police officer of St. Paul when he graduates from the academy and hits the streets on Saturday, the Star Tribune reported.
As St. Paul's first Somali-American police officer, Sahal hopes to bridge the gap between the Somali community and the police, the Pioneer Press reported.
Sahal said that one of his motivations for becoming a police officer is to help people and let his friends, family and community know that they can trust the law enforcement and not feel helpless like they did in Somalia, the Pioneer Press reported.
Sahal's goal in coming to America was to get an education and make money to send back to a war-torn Somalia. Sahal came to Minnesota and was inspired by the relationship between the police and the community and decided to pursue a career in law enforcement, the Star Tribune reported.
Sahal thinks that he can make a difference in the community a bridge a gap.
"It will be a great thing for the community to have a Somali officer, to have someone to talk to," Sahal said. "I want to be part of some career where I can help the community." the Star Tribune reported.
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