Truck drivers and business owners with commercial vehicles will have a truckload of new eyeballs keeping track of traffic on the highways and by-ways of Michigan thanks to the just graduated class of the Michigan State Police 20th Motor Carrier Officer Recruit School. The 13 additional patrol officers graduated in Lansing on Friday with Governor Rick Snyder as their keynote speaker at the Lansing Center.
Snyder said, “We thank these new Michigan State Police motor carrier officers for their commitment and dedication to serving our great state.” He added, “These officers are highly trained and their role is vital to Michigan’s economy, public safety and the protection of our highway infrastructure.”
Colonel Kriste Kibbey Etue is Director of the Michigan State Police. She says, “We welcome the much needed addition of these new motor carrier officers to the MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division.” She notes, “Our motor carrier officers play a critical role in traffic safety, deterring criminal activities on our highways and ensuring the legitimate and safe travel of the nation’s motor carriers through our state.”
Motor carrier officers are armed uniformed members of the Michigan State Police who specialize in commercial vehicle enforcement. They enforce traffic safety laws on commercial vehicles, protect the infrastructure through aggressive size and weight enforcement, conduct commercial vehicle and driver inspections and contribute to homeland security efforts by enforcing hazardous material regulations.
Motor Carrier Officer Philip Owens, who was elected Class Orator by his fellow recruits, spoke on behalf of the graduating class. He also received the Outstanding Performance Award and the Team Building Award. Other award winners included, MC Ofcr. Joel Chester who received the Academic Achievement Award and MC Ofcr. Jason Ruess who received the Marksmanship Award.
The 20th Motor Carrier Officer Recruit School began on Oct. 11, 2015, when 21 prospective officers reported to the MSP Training Academy. For the past 20 weeks, recruits received training in firearms, water safety, defensive tactics, patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, first aid, criminal law, precision driving, commercial vehicle law and commercial vehicle inspection procedures.
In order to be selected to attend the academy, applicants had to pass a stringent selection process that included a physical fitness test, background investigation and hiring interview.
Of the 13 new officers, 12 have continued their education with college studies and three have prior military experience.
Graduating recruits will report to their respective MSP posts across the state for duty next week.
This is the first motor carrier officer recruit school held since October 2014, when 11 officers graduated from the 19th Motor Carrier Officer Recruit School.
To learn more about a career with the MSP, interested candidates should visit www.michigan.gov/mspjobs.
