Michigan State Police Offers Variety Of Career Opportunities

The Michigan State Police is currently seeking candidates to join the force with many positions available including that of patrol troopers.

People commonly think of police officers in association with traffic violations and tickets, but enforcing and upholding the State of Michigan’s laws isn’t the only responsibility of a state trooper.

“You get to go out and help people and you get that personal reward of knowing that you helped somebody in a situation that’s tough to deal with and they’re going to be thanking you on a daily basis for it,” said 1st Lt. Randy Danison of the MSP Calumet Post.

Danison joined the State’s Police Department in his 20’s and with more than two decades of service behind him, he still carries that eagerness for his job.

Danison said, “It’ll be 24 years this may. Ever since I was a kid growing up, I wanted to be one ever since I first saw a Michigan State Trooper and realized what they do and what their job was all about. I dedicated myself to making sure I could take that career path and was able to follow it and get it done. I’ve always wanted to do it and worked my way towards it. It’s been very rewarding for me. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Danison now serves as the Post Commander for the Calumet Post that maintains a strong relationship with the community it protects through outreach programs like Stuff a Blue Goose, community awareness programs, or the post’s annual open house where citizens get to meet the troopers and learn more about some of the equipment and tools that get used for emergencies, investigations, or other sensitive situations.

Danison said, “The Michigan State Police offers many differed positions besides trooper work on the road. There’s many different divisions of the state police that you can get into and transfer around. If you wanted to work in the lab, or be a dive team member, if you want to ride motorcycles, or fly helicopters or something like that. You can get into all those types of activities within the department and still be working for the State Police.

Requirements for employment include a clean criminal record, but the agency is understanding of certain situations. “Basically to get in for the Michigan State Police, you have to have a GED or a high school diploma, you have to be at least 21 years old when you graduate the recruit school, no felony convictions or being under investigation for a felony, misdemeanors have to be like a driving on a suspended or something like that, has to be four years out,” said Danison.

Dansion says that all positions come with a good salary, and benefits package, and paid training. “What we’re looking for is somebody that’s a good person that wants to be involved in law enforcement,” he said. “To be a state trooper, you have to be a person that’s got a desire to help people.  That’s our biggest thing is we provide services to the people of the State of Michigan and a person that wants to be out there and helping people on a daily basis is what makes a good candidate for a state trooper. “

More information can be obtained by contacting any Michigan State Police post or at www.michigan.gov/msp.