Michigan State Police is working to fill out its ranks after multiple years of low recruitment.
Col. James Grady II, director of MSP, said a combination of retirements and low recruitment in recent years means that the state police need to hire for a lot of positions.
“We’d like to have another 500 to 600 troopers right now. In a perfect world, 800 (troopers),” said Grady.
On Saturday, Sept 20, MSP will host a hiring event at Mumford High School in Detroit, where interested applicants can get multiple steps out of the way.
“From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., we are doing a one-day hiring event here at the Michigan State Police that will include our baseline fitness testing, our written examination, along with our application, where people can complete that, and some of the preliminary background checks will take place as well, including the hiring interview,” Grady said.
Grady said MSP wants to hire officers and support staff from around the state.
“You have to spend the first two years out on the road, but after that, you could be flying one of our many helicopters that we have or an airplane–you could work K-9 bomb squad. We have an emergency management homeland security division, a forensic science division with multiple labs across this state.”
Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, you should not apply if you have any felonies on your record. But Grady said MSP isn’t looking for perfection.
“I don’t know anyone that’s walking the face of this earth right now. That’s. That’s perfect. No such thing,” he said.
Grady said another thing MSP is looking for in people is a desire to help the community.