U.P. personnel get update on State Police Strategic Plan

Almost every member of the Michigan State Police who is stationed in the Upper Peninsula gathered at Northern Michigan University today for a special meeting.

Nearly 200 Michigan State Police personnel, including troopers, dispatchers, sergeants and detectives, attended the meeting.

The group was introduced to the new statewide Strategic Plan for the Michigan State Police.  The plan is for January 1, 2013  to December 31, 2016. According to the Director of the Michigan State Police, Col. Kristie Kibbey Etue, says the plan is a road map to the agency’s 100th anniversary, providing members and customers with the goals and objectives to achieve over the next five years.

It includes three main goals: Providing statewide policing to enhance public safety; Investing in MSP employees by providing the highest quality training and technology; and, enhancing customer service by building on the department’s foundation as a service organization.

The meeting today in Marquette was a way to give state police officers in the U.P. the information about the MSP Strategic Plan- at the same time.

The session also involved looking at what ways the Michigan State Police can be more efficient.

Captain John Halpin,  Eighth District Commander,  said that since some State Police posts in the U.P. have closed, troopers have been able to respond to incidents in a more quick and efficient manner.  He credits the rapid responses to the new system in which patrol cars have been outfitted with technology, allowing them to become mobile offices.