WAYNE COUNTY:
Khalil Rahal, assistant Wayne County executive in charge of economic development, joined Wayne County Executive Warren Evans administration in 2015 after several years as a prosecutor working in the special victims unit. A graduate of Grand Valley State University and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Rahal has been instrumental in a variety of development efforts as one of Evans trusted advisers, including the recent deal to lure Amazon.com Inc. to the former Pinnacle Race Course site in Huron Township and the disposition of the former McLouth Steel Products Corp. property in Trenton.
How does someone go from prosecuting sex offenders to moving into economic development?
Two men vying to be the next Wayne County sheriff were accused of sexual harassment by female deputies who received an $85,000 settlement from the county.
Robert Dunlap, chief of jails and courts at the Sheriff s Office, and Raphael Washington, deputy chief of jail and courts, are among 14 candidates who applied for the appointment to replace former Sheriff Benny Napoleon, who died last month after battling COVID-19.
A panel of three Wayne County officials Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Clerk Cathy Garrett and Chief Probate Judge Freddie Burton said they would make the appointment Friday.
The panel interviewed nine candidates Thursday afternoon via Zoom. Washington was questioned for 26 minutes but the panel didn t ask him about the lawsuit allegations or the settlement the county paid out. Instead, the panel focused on things like Washington s plans to handle potential unrest, what he hoped to accomplish in his first 100 days and his position on incarcerating nonviolent offen