Working for the Michigan State Police isn’t easy.
"Being a single mom and going through recruit school was the toughest 22 weeks of my life," says
Trooper Amy Belanger.
It takes both physical and emotional strength says the recruiter from the podium:
"Every time you get a new partner you may have to prove yourself, but I'm a scrapper remember I'm born and raised in the D!" A statement that elicited laughs and cheers.
Today the message at Schoolcraft College in Livonia was that enlisting with Michigan State Police may be hard work, but it's possible. For anyone.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of fight in the dog," says Belanger.
The fight, for these women, has been worth the reward.
"I spend the majority of my time behind the scenes in the crime lab," says Detective Lt. Nicole Bock. For Bock her job is a dream come true.
" I'm a community service trooper, I'm a recruiter and I'm a hostage negotiator for the emergency support team," says Belanger.
While there is a lot of opportunity within the agency for women, there are no special favors.
"You still have to do push ups, you still have to do pull ups you still have to run. You still have to be physically fit, it doesn't matter whether you're male or female," says Captain Monica Yesh.
The dozens of potential recruits in attendance enjoyed hearing the many women women share their stories of success within the agency.
"Kind of empowering," is how Kayla Kwolak of Canton described the experience.
"Growing up you don't necessarily think you're capable of the same things as a man is, but every woman in there was very good at providing specific examples of why we can do it just as good as a man can," she says.
Women currently make up more than 50-percent of the state’s population according to the most recent census, and less than 10-percent of those enlisted in the Michigan State Patrol.
A number that could rise with more recruits like Kwolak.
"I'll probably take the test to start the process, then from there see if I get invited back for the physical agility test," says Kwolak.
It’s a decision the Michigan State Police hopes others make.
"We'd really like to see the ranks not just females, but the population that we serve be represented in our agency," says Captain Monica Yesh.
"We need you. I'll say it again, we need you. Each and every one of you," says the recruiter at the podium.
Minimum requirements for consideration:
- Good moral character
- U.S. citizen
- Michigan resident at the time of appointment to the academy
- At least 21
- possess high school diploma or G.E.D.
- Good driving record
- Stable credit history
- No felonies
For more information about a career with the Michigan State Police, visit www.michigan.gov/mspjobs.
