State Police Recruit Academy Underway

michiganstatepolicegood-139
michiganstatepolicegood-139

128 prospective Michigan State Police troopers are now taking part in a training academy in Lansing. MSP Captain Monica Yesh tells WSJM News the recruits go through 26 weeks of all-day study that covers topics including traffic stops, defense, firearm use, criminal law, and ethics. The academy is underway as Michigan State Police look to bolster their ranks with many looming retirements.

“We’re out recruiting, something that we didn’t have to do,” Yesh said. “We used to have people beating at our doors, and we still do for the most part, but we need to recruit diverse, qualified individuals.”

Yesh tells us recruits will put in 1,200 hours of instruction before their April graduation. Another recruit academy will take place in the spring. The recruits at the current academy include prospective troopers from Allegan, Cassopolis, Decatur, Fennville, and Paw Paw. You can see their names here. Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a trooper can go to Michigan.gov/MSPJobs.