The Dearborn Police Department has created a police intern program for recent high school graduates looking to go into the criminal justice field, and the first five candidates began on July 20.

This innovative program was put in motion by Mayor John B. O’Reilly Jr., Police Chief Ronald Haddad and Human Resources Director Valerie Murphy-Goodrich.

Chief Haddad and Murphy-Goodrich spent time this past spring visiting Edsel Ford, Dearborn and Fordson high schools to find potential candidates. The five students who stood out and started their internship on July 20 are Adam Baydoun, Brennen Blevins, Jonathon Carriveau, Sereen Hamawi and Lois Jaber. Each will be working 20 hours a week while taking college courses.

Baydoun graduated from Fordson High School and played two years of Varsity Basketball. He has also worked as a manager/supervisor with Hype Athletics. Baydoun will be attending the University of Michigan-Dearborn in the fall working towards a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, then plans on attending law school upon completion of his bachelor’s degree.

Blevins graduated from Edsel Ford High School. He will be attending Henry Ford Community College in the fall. Blevins has been active with the Dearborn Police Explorer Post for the past four years and currently is an Explorer Lieutenant.

Blevins was chosen as “Explorer of the Year” in 2009 by the Optimist Club of Dearborn, as well as gaining the position as the Michigan State Law Enforcement Exploring Representative. He has attended the Michigan State Police Leadership Academy and  as the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Explorer Academy in Quantico, VA.

Carriveau graduated from Edsel Ford High School. He has been taking classes at Henry Ford Community College and will be continuing his education towards an associate’s degree in criminal justice at HFCC this fall.

Hamawi graduated from Fordson High School with honors, and was member of the school’s Jazz Band and rugby team.  She will be attending Henry Ford Community College in the fall. Hamawi joined the Dearborn Police Explorer Post 1177 in 2010. She is looking forward to working at the Dearborn Police Department while taking college classes in criminal justice.

Jaber graduated from Fordson High School. She will be attending Henry Ford Community College in the fall. Her most recent employment was with Best Buy.