MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Friday afternoon, on the Northern Michigan University campus, the newest police recruits graduated from this year’s police academy. 29 men and women shook hands with sheriffs, and fellow officers, and embraced family and friends as they accepted the honor of serving the Upper Peninsula community.
“Excited you know just to get out there and work alongside you know a lot of these guys that graduate today will be sticking around the county here so,” commented Graduated Recruit Devin Tasson. Tasson is from Ishpeming, heading to Marquette City Police, and commented that it’s a great honor to serve in his hometown.
“it’s surreal it’s just you envision a moment all the time in your head and you know it’s great to be here and I’m just excited now to get out there and do what I’ve been doing training for the last 4 months,” said Tasson. Police work can sometimes come with a negative stereotype, but Marquette Police Captain James Finkbeiner says this class has risen to the challenge and is ready to serve the community.
“It’s not what you see in the movies it’s not what you see on television all the time it’s that interaction and our job has become so diversified over the last say 5-10 years especially that we need those people that are good communicators that are good listeners and that truly have a passion for serving people and that’s what we’re looking for every single day,” explained Marquette City Police Captain, James Finkbeiner.
Police Academy Coordinator Lt. Kenneth Love says these new graduates are addressing an immediate need in the U.P. “We’re just lucky to have this many recruits to go through and departments are just starving for them to start a lot of these recruits will start tomorrow,” commented Love.
The academy class motto states, “Integrity above all else”, and Tasson says it’s not just a saying– it’s a way of life.
“Just holding yourself to that high standard always doing what’s right when no one is around just acting as if there’s always a camera on you someone’s always watching someone’s always looking honestly I’m excited to hopefully make a difference in my community”
“I think one piece of advice is to be really good listeners make the job your own you’re gonna find the pieces you like and the pieces you don’t like and you’re still gonna have to do both but it’s gonna make you a better officer. One piece of advice after 23 years of doing this, is always willing to learn,” continued Finkbeiner.
The recruits will now be heading out into the field for field training and that starts for some as early as tomorrow, August 19th.
