MSP - December 19, 2008 - 83 New Troopers Join the Michigan State Police

“For our new graduates, today marks the beginning of your careers as Michigan State Troopers,” said Colonel Peter C. Munoz, director of the MSP, during his address to the recruits. “As troopers, I expect you will keep sacred the public’s trust in you and our agency, and serve with distinction and honor always.”

The 121 st Trooper Recruit School began on Aug. 10, 2008, when 101 prospective troopers, selected from over 4,000 applicants, reported to the MSP Training Academy in Lansing. Over a 19-week period, the recruits received training in patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, first aid, criminal law, crime scene processing, firearms, water safety, defensive tactics and precision driving. Graduating recruits were assigned to MSP work sites across the state and will report for duty beginning Dec. 22, 2008.

“I want to thank the families and friends of our newest troopers for the love and support you showed to your recruit throughout this school,” Munoz added. “I know you did an excellent job raising these 83 men and women because without a solid work ethic and sound core values, they never would have survived the rigors of our academy.”

Of the 83 graduating recruits, 79 are male and four are female. Fifty-nine have college degrees, 14 have served in the United States military and 19 have prior law enforcement experience, including nine who previously served as MSP motor carrier officers.

During this afternoon’s ceremony, which was held at the Lansing Center, the graduates were addressed by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Major General Thomas G. Cutler, the Adjutant General of Michigan and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Trooper Cecil Vashaw, who was elected Class Orator by his fellow recruits, spoke on behalf of the graduating class before receiving the Team Building Award. Other award winners included Trooper Charles Sierzputowski who received the Marksmanship Award, Trooper James Hutchinson who received the Academic Achievement Award and Trooper Benjamin Sonstrom who received the Outstanding Performance Award.

This is the first trooper recruit school since 2004. With the addition of these troopers, there are 1,084 at-post troopers statewide.

121st Trooper Recruit School - Graduating Class

Last Name	First Name	Post Assignment	Hometown
Adamczyk	Andrew	Grand Haven Post	Grand Ledge
Aho	Michael	Richmond Post	Escanaba
Armstrong	Gordon	Manistique Satellite	Bear Lake
Arrowood	Paul	Caro Post	Lake Orion
Baumann	Douglas	Grand Haven Post	Traverse City
Bierema	Bryon	Battle Creek Post	Kalamazoo
Boven	Christopher	Grand Haven Post	Grand Rapids
Bow	Robert	Monroe Post	Novi
Bozek	Joseph	Newaygo Post	Grand Rapids
Brey	Jacob	Cadillac Post	Mackinaw City
Buehler	John	Paw Paw Post	Dexter
Chenet	Steven	Paw Paw Post	Clarkston
Childs	Daniel	Lansing Post	Commerce Township
Christie	Ashley	Brighton Post	Bay City
Codde	Ryan	Niles Post	Marshall
Coles	Thomas	Wayland Post	Paw Paw
Comer	Jonathan	Jackson Post	Waterford
Conner	Bradley	Ypsilanti Post	Lincoln Park
Courtley	Ronald	Brighton Post	Birmingham
Crofoot	Jeffrey	Kalkaska Post	Interlochen
Davis	Brandon	Paw Paw Post	Charlotte
DeVries	Jeremy	Munising Post	Hudsonville
Disselkoen	Keith	White Pigeon Post	Zeeland
Fick	Thomas, III	Ionia Post	Jenison
Fimbinger	Peter	Newaygo Post	Marion
Gallagher	Patrick	Traverse City Post	Bay City
Gruber	Michael	Ypsilanti Post	Warren
Haehnle	James (J.K.)	Coldwater Post	Jackson
Halleck	Jess	Kalkaska Post	Alpena
Hauger	Evan	Jonesville Satellite	Mason
Herman	Patrick	Brighton Post	Adrian
Hop	Travis	Hart Post	Holland
Horn	Bradley (B.J.)	Ypsilanti Post	Adrian
Hunt	Roger	Cadillac Post	Howard City
Hutchinson	James	Lansing Post	Perry
Kehn	Kyle	Houghton Lake Post	Beaverton
Kemerer	Justin	Gladwin Satellite	Saginaw
King	Jason	Flint Post	Kawkawlin
Kinnunen	Thomas	Wakefield Post	Shingleton
Kochan	Dieter	Calumet Post	Marquette
Lady	Russell	Richmond Post	Traverse City
Laninga	Adam	L'Anse Satellite	Mackinaw City
Leddy	Michael	Groveland Post	Saginaw
Lubelan	Daniel	Flint Post	Gaylord
Lucha	Brian	Newaygo Post	Reed City
Luttrull	James, Jr.	Manistee Post	Montague
May	Joshua	Houghton Lake Post	Saginaw
McCullough	Randy	Hastings Post	Wyoming
McGaffigan	James	Niles Post	Jackson
McMillan	Joseph	Bridgeport Post	Lansing
Miller	John	Wayland Post	St. Joseph
Miller	Mark	Jonesville Satellite	Rives Junction
Mitchell	Robert	Alpena Post	Kincholoe
Myers	Derrick	Ithaca Post	Muskegon
Noble	Shane	Petoskey Post	West Branch
Norman	Nicholas	Bay City Post	Gaylord
Normandin	Joseph	Cheboygan Satellite	Grand Ledge
Nunez	Jeremy	White Pigeon Post	Shaftsburg
Paris	Duane	Bridgeport Post	Detroit
Pollich	Nicholas	Battle Creek Post	Kalamazoo
Renaud	Joey	Wakefield Post	Marquette
Ricketson	Ryan	Monroe Post	Caledonia
Rodgers	Jeffery	Groveland Post	Swartz Creek
Rollet	Raymond, II	Bay City Post	South Rockwood
Rucinski	Jefferey	Bad Axe Satellite	Livonia
Scott	Robert	Ithaca Post	Caro
Shackelford	Anthony	Bridgman Post	Montrose
Shumaker	Eric	Groveland Post	St. Clair
Siemienski	Frank	West Branch Post	Taylor
Sierzputowski	Charles (C.J.)	Richmond Post	Lake Ann
Skiera	Ashley	Newberry Satellite	Posen
Smith	Robin	Lakeview Post	Traverse City
Sonstrom	Benjamin	Ypsilanti Post	East Granby, Conn.
Swanson	Seth	Monroe Post	Dewitt
Sysko	Andrew	Iron River Satellite	Wolverine
Tingley	Matthew	Coldwater Post	Niles
Vashaw	Cecil	Wayland Post	Holland
Walters	Jason	Flint Post	Haslett
Welton	Jessica	Bridgeport Post	Dansville
Williams	Matthew	Manistee Post	Rockford
Wolf	Chad	Jackson Post	Waterford
Young	Anthony	Corunna Satellite	North Branch
Zawada	Edward	Calumet Post	Bark River

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ms. Wendy Galbreath
MSP Training Division
Phone: (517) 322-1500

Photos from the school are available at: www.michigan.gov/msp-training

For a picture or interview with an individual trooper, contact his or her post assignment location.

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121st Trooper Recruit School - Graduating Class