ST. IGNACE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan State Police (MSP) St. Ignace Post has welcomed a new post commander, F/Lieutenant Brock Artfitch.
Artfitch grew up on a ranch in rural Nebraska and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Indiana University. Law school brought him to Michigan, where he earned a juris doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law and graduated from the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute.
Artfitch joined the MSP in 2014 as part of the 127th Trooper Recruit School. He and his family were immediately drawn to northern Michigan, where they found the community and atmosphere to be a natural fit.
His career as a trooper began at the Gaylord Post and later served on the Seventh District Hometown Security Team focusing on criminal drug interdiction. He was later promoted to sergeant at the St. Ignace Post and has spent eight years as an instructor with the MSP Precision Driving Unit. Most recently, he worked as a field investigator with the MSP Professional Standards Section before now returning to St. Ignace as post commander.
“I consider myself incredibly privileged to have this opportunity to work with a team of dedicated and experienced sergeants, troopers, motor carrier officers, and civilian staff members at the St. Ignace Post, and to once again be a part of MSP’s Eighth District, which covers the entire Upper Peninsula,” F/Lieutenant Artfitch said in a press release. “I am dedicated to the people we serve and will do all I can to support our members in the crucial work they do including proactive policing focused on deterring and solving crime, active community engagement, and reducing serious traffic crashes through traffic enforcement that discourages dangerous driving behaviors.”
Artfitch continued, “In particular, the St. Ignace Post will continue to proactively work to combat illegal drug distribution into the Upper Peninsula. Illegal drugs have a devastating impact on our communities, as they fuel crime, destroy lives, and undermine the safety and well-being of the people we serve.”
“We are also focused on recruiting new troopers to help boost staffing levels and ensure we can continue to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” he said. “I am looking forward to working with our local law enforcement partners, community members and organizations, and others, such as the Mackinac Bridge Authority, to enhance overall public safety and continue to build great relationships with the people we serve.”
