By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Three area recruits have graduated into the Michigan State Police.

At a ceremony held in Lansing on Friday, the Michigan State Police graduated 57 troopers in total from the 139th Trooper Recruit School.

Among those was Trooper Nicholas Burton of South Lyon, Trooper Dakota Risner of Chelsea, and Trooper Donald Hedglen of Wixom. Burton has been assigned to the Brighton Post, with Risner and Hedglen going to Jackson. Additionally, within the class, Troopers Michael Daniel of Caro and Ryan Sass of Interlochen were also assigned to Brighton.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer was the keynote speaker at the event. She welcomed the group into what she called “one of the premier law enforcement agencies in the country,” and said that as a former prosecutor, herself, that she has their back. Col. Joe Gasper, director of the MSP, administered the Oath of Office to the graduates.

The 139th Trooper Recruit School began in early March with 75 prospective troopers at the MSP Training Academy. Recruits received training patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, cultural diversity and bias, first aid, criminal law, crime scene processing, firearms and more.

The MSP reports that there are still hundreds of trooper vacancies due to continued attrition. Those interested in learning more, including more information on upcoming Trooper Recruit Schools, should visit www.Michigan.gov/MSPjobs.

(Photo - Michigan State Police)