Phoenix Police Department swore in its first Somali-American police officer, Abdi Fatah Olow.

Phoenix Police Department swore in its first Somali-American police officer, Abdi Fatah Olow. Abdi is a former refugee graduated from Arizona Law Enforcement Academy on February 17, 2017. At the graduation ceremony, I asked Abdi about his feeling to his new career… he responded to me that he was proud to be a police officer- and added…“it is not just a career; it is also serving and giving back to the greater Phoenix communities.” Abdi will be a role model for Somali community, especially young people searching for role models and a sense of belonging to American communities.

Abdi Olow was born in Bu’aale District(Central Jubba) of Somalia. Abdi lived in Dadaab Refugee camp in Kenya  (world’s largest refugee camp) for over twelve years before resettled  to the United States in 2004. Abdi signed up to study at Arizona State University few days before his graduation at Arizona Law Enforcement Academy to further his success to the new career he just landed in.