PROCLAMATION
COMMENDING AND EXPRESSING SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO OFFICER ELIJAH SCHOLL OF THE HERCULES POLICE DEPARTMENT AS THE 2025 POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR WHEREAS, Elijah Scholl was raised in Napa California, where he graduated from Vintage High School in 2014 and was a member of the golf team; and WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Elijah immediately enlisted into the United States Marine Corps where he was sent to bootcamp for four months at MCRD San Diego, California; and in December of 2014, Elijah was transferred to Camp Pendleton in San Diego for his specialty training as an Infantry man. Elijah completed this training and was transferred to his duty station at 29- Palms, California. A year later, Elijah was deployed to Japan for six months. Elijah returned to his duty base at 29 Palms, and in July of 2018, he completed his commitment to the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged; and WHEREAS, after his discharge from the Marine Corps, Elijah returned home for a year before moving to Monterey where he attended the Monterey Community College while working at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch; and WHEREAS, in July of 2020, Elijah moved back to Napa and sponsored himself through the Napa Valley College Police Academy. In June 2021, Elijah successfully completed the academy, and a month later he was hired as a full-time police officer with the Hercules Police Department; and WHEREAS, in May of 2023, Elijah was selected to be a member of the Hercules Police Department’s Special Response Team and recognized by his supervisors as an excellent team member; and WHEREAS, in October 2023, Elijah was selected as the department Traffic Enforcement Officer and successfully passed the POST motorcycle training course which is commonly known as one of the most difficult courses to pass; and WHEREAS, in April of 2025, after multiple years of planning and coordinating, Elijah managed the first production of Every 15 Minutes program in almost 15 years in the City of Hercules. This program has a profound effect on the students at the Hercules High School regarding the consequences of drinking and driving; and WHEREAS, In October of 2025, Elijah secured a $75,000 Select Traffic Enforcement Program Grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to help improve roadway safety for vehicles and pedestrians; and WHEREAS, in a secret ballot of his peers Officer Elijah Scholl was selected as Officer of the Year for 2025.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that I, Chris Kelley, Mayor of the City of Hercules, on behalf of the entire City Council, and the Hercules community, do hereby commend and express appreciation to Officer Elijah Scholl for his dedication to the law enforcement profession and the community he proudly serves.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Hercules to be affixed this 13th day of January 2026. __________________________________
Chris Kelley, Mayor