123rd Trooper Recruit School Begins

92 prospective troopers have reported to the Michigan State Police (MSP) Training Academy in Lansing for the first day of the 123rd Trooper Recruit School.

For the next 19 weeks, between wake-up at 5 a.m. and lights-out at 10
p.m., the recruits will receive training in firearms, water safety,
defensive tactics, patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, first aid,
criminal law, crime scene processing and precision driving.

Current MSP members and academy staff, including a school commander, assistant commander and 16 troopers from across the state assigned to the MSP Training Academy on a temporary basis will provide the instruction. Because the school is a residential program, the recruits are only allowed to leave the MSP Training Academy from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.

Recruits who successfully complete the training will graduate on Oct.
19, 2012.

“Starting the first of two trooper recruit schools this year is good
news,” stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “It is
our hope these recruits will successfully meet and exceed the challenges
they will face during these next few months, after which time they will
join the proud men and women of the Michigan State Police who serve in communities statewide with excellence, integrity and courtesy on a daily basis.”

Funding made available as part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s public safety
plan allows the department to run two trooper recruit schools this
calendar year in order to hire 180 new troopers.

A second recruit school is set to begin in October. Recruiting is
currently underway; interested candidates should visit
www.michigan.gov/mspjobs for more information.

The department solicited over 3,000 potential candidates for the 123rd
Trooper Recruit School. Special emphasis was given to recruiting
military veterans and certified police officers without employment. In
order to be selected to attend the academy, all applicants had to pass a
stringent selection process that included a physical fitness test,
background investigation and hiring interview.

As of May 26, 2012, there were 910 at-post troopers stationed at 29
posts across Michigan. This is the first class held since 35 members of
the 122nd Trooper Recruit School graduated on May 13, 2011.

123rd Trooper Recruit School participants from Upper Michigan:

Ironwood – Joshua Filz

Ishpeming – Randall Rovelsky

Marenisco – Calahan Horn

Munising – Leslie Rochefort III

Sault Ste. Marie – Joshua Henderson