90 New State Police Troopers On The Job Today
DETROIT (WWJ) - Fresh from the academy, dozens of new Michigan State Police troopers hit on the road Monday across the state.
Wearing immaculate blue uniforms with razor-sharp creases, the 90 new troopers -- "cubs" as they're called at the station house -- are beginning their careers.
That includes 25-year-old Victoria Smith who spoke with WWJ Newsradio 950's Marie Osborne.
"I'm very excited to be here, working the Detroit city -- covering three counties. So that's exciting ... a big area," Smith said. "Twenty-two weeks of training -- I'm ready to put it into play."
Thirty-six of the grads will go to posts in Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Saginaw -- four cities with high violent crime rates that have been targeted by the Snyder administration.
Lieutenant Mike Shaw said the new recruits will spend the next seven weeks learning the lay of the land while working with a senior trooper -- then they'll be on their own.
What's the most important thing new troopers need to remember?
"Respect for the public; respect for each other; the traditions of the department. And, most of all, [to work so that] after the end of their twenty-five years, everybody goes home safe," Shaw said. "Probably one of the people out of these recruit school won't make their 25 years."
Smith said her family members' final words to her as she headed out the door were, "Be safe."
"Safety is always number one," said Smith. "You know, you always wanna make sure your partners and you go home at the end of the night ... and back to your families."
The next trooper school is set to start May 12.
