January 2023
Yvonne Brantley was 11 years old when the family car burst into flames on a Detroit freeway. A Michigan State Police trooper stopped to help, drove the family home, and accepted an invitation to come inside for coffee. Years later, Brantley calls that day an inflection point in her life, setting her on a path to be post commander at the Michigan State Police (MSP) Flint Post.
?He treated us with compassion, took us home, and even came in for a cup of coffee. I?ll never forget the way he made us feel,? she says. ?I ran into my grandma?s arms and told her I wanted to be a state trooper when I grow up.?
Forty-six years later, after 26 years in law enforcement, F/Lieutenant Brantley says she?s seen firsthand why communities need more women in policing, and she is thrilled the MSP has joined ?30x30,? a national pledge to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30 percent by 2030.
Only 12 percent of sworn officers and 3 percent of police leadership in the U.S. are women, while research says that women in policing make society safer. This is the reason nearly 250 (and growing) law enforcement agencies across the country have signed the 30x30 pledge.
Data shows that female officers:
- use less force and less excessive force
- are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits
- are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate
- see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases
- make fewer discretionary arrests
?We?re here to serve, and women are an essential piece of the puzzle in the problem solving we do,? said Insp. Lisa Rish, who has been with the MSP for 28 years. ?The more voices, experiences and perspectives we have at the table, the more successful we?ll be in connecting with and serving our communities.?
MSP?s employee resource group dedicated to representing and advocating for women, Women Leading Change, learned about the 30x30 initiative through a webinar and introduced it to MSP leaders, who quickly jumped on board. Now, the group is at the forefront of the department?s pledge and has started outlining ways to reach the goal.
?You can?t be what you can?t see,? said Inspector Rish, while explaining the importance of representation. ?One of the greatest barriers for women in law enforcement is simply the idea that they can?t do it because they haven?t seen it done.?
So far, the department has attended and hosted recruitment events in various community spaces, where they provide first-hand accounts of what it means to be a female in policing, especially within the MSP.
F/Lieutenant Brantley hopes to see more young women inspired as she was years ago, when a trooper simply did his job, as he was trained to do, with grace and kindness. ?It wasn?t the typical dream job of a little girl growing up in Detroit. Women didn?t serve in uniform at that time, and in my family there wasn?t a high regard for the police,? she said, ?but I knew I wanted to make people feel the way he made us feel.?
To learn more about a career with the MSP or find an upcoming recruiting event, visit www.michigan.gov/MSPjobs.
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There are currently almost 950 missing children in Michigan. While many children return home, some unfortunately do not.
To raise awareness, the Michigan State Police (MSP) Missing Persons Clearinghouse invites fifth grade students to participate in the 2023 National Missing Children?s Day Poster Contest. The annual contest creates an opportunity to promote child safety while discussing the issue of missing and/or exploited children.
Michigan?s winning artist will have a shot at the national contest, which includes a free trip to Washington D.C. and the opportunity to have their artwork featured as the National Missing Children?s Day poster.
Submissions are due by January 27, 2023.
The application and contest rules can be found online.
 The Michigan Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (DEC) seeks to establish a collaborative system of professionals that work to ensure all families lead lives free from abuse, neglect and exposure to opioids and other harmful substances.
Visit the Michigan DEC Alliance website for more information and opportunities to get involved.
Again this year, we?re soliciting citizen volunteers who want to serve as actors in scenario-based training with members of the 143rd Trooper Recruit School and their instructors. The training exercises will be held at the MSP Training Academy in Dimondale on various dates from Feb. 3 to May 18, and the Fort Custer Training Center in Battle Creek from May 31 to June 3.
Scenarios may include traffic stops and arrests, domestic violence investigations and civil disputes, and larceny and retail fraud situations, among other topics.
More information and the application can be found here. The deadline to apply is January 20.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and the MSP encourages you to learn the signs of human trafficking.
Modern slavery is happening in our communities across the state. When you know what to look for, you could make a life-changing difference.
Put your eyes to the test - watch the "Look Again" video to identify the indicators of human trafficking
 Troopers not only save human lives! On December 30, troopers from the MSP Tri-City Post responded to a house fire where Delilah, a family dog, was found unconscious near the front door. Troopers quickly used their bag-valve mask to provide oxygen to Delilah. After around 15 minutes, Delilah regained consciousness and began breathing normally!
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