Eighty three new Michigan State Police troopers began their new jobs across the state Monday, December 22, all graduates of the first group of recruits to join the force since 2004. Two Mackinaw City men were among the group. Adam Laninga has been assigned to the L'Anse satellite police post, and Jacob Brey will join the Cadillac post. No new recruits have been assigned to police posts in The St. Ignace News coverage area.

The 121st Trooper Recruit School began August 10, 2008, and accepted 101 prospective troopers selected from more than 4,000 applicants.

The recruits were trained for 19 weeks at the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing. Training includes patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, first aid, criminal law, crime scene processing, firearms, water safety, defensive tactics, and precision driving.

Of the class of 83 graduates, 79 members 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 Michigan State Police motor carrier officers.

The class was graduated Friday, December 19, at the Lansing Center.

With the addition of these troopers, there are 1,084 troopers assigned to posts statewide.