Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Wakefield - The Michigan State Police's Wakefield post has added another new face, as another graduate from the state's trooper academy joins the force.
William Fry graduated from the 131st Trooper Recruit School - 23 weeks of instruction - a little less than a month ago, joining the Wakefield post shortly after that.
Fry is one of the several new troopers who have been assigned to the post in recent years.
"We're quite a young post at this point. I've got seven troopers with three years or less," Post Commander Lt. Don Horn said. "My senior troopers, my sergeants, are busy training and teaching the troopers the department's policies and procedures - (the younger troopers are) learning traffic safety, learning their investigations."
Fry, 22, is originally from Roseville, roughly 20 miles north of Detroit, and is continuing work on a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a psychology minor at Saginaw Valley State University, balancing school with working for the MSP.
He said the chance to help people and be part of something larger was what drew him to police work, with the professionalism being a factor in choosing the state police.
"(I was attracted to) the opportunities the department had, the professionalism," Fry said.
As a probationary trooper, Fry will ride with a more experienced officer for several months.
"It's definitely different. (I'm) adjusting to it," Fry said, regarding the difference between the academy and serving at the post. "When we were (in school), we were in an environment that was more controlled, learning the skills we need. And now, we're learning to apply the skills we were taught while we were at the academy - learning when to apply them and how to apply them."
While he is still determining his favorite part of the job, Fry said he is looking forward to chances to help people.
"(I'm) just looking forward to making a positive impact on the community and getting to help influence others to do good and not just (do bad things)," he said. "If they need help, they can know we are here to help them, as well. We're not just here to enforce the law, we're people and we want to make sure they all get help."
Fry's assignment to the post brings its roster to 10 troopers working the road, along with a community service trooper, Horn said.
According to Horn, the assignment of new troopers is determined on each post's ideal staff level, with Wakefield's number being 14.
"Our ideal staffing level should be 14, but with retirements and transfers, we fell below that," he said. "If I had my way, the ideal number would be 16, but I don't know if I'll ever see that. Hopefully, we'll get back up to the 14."
He explained the post used to have several resident troopers in Ontonagon, as well as 10 troopers at the post, however there is currently one trooper based in the Ontonagon area.
The post will ideally get additional troopers in fall, according to Horn, to bring it to the ideal level.
