CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH LT. BEN ECKOLA
Anyone who’s paged through old notebooks or tried to maintain the integrity of a physical photo knows it can be difficult. And time-consuming. For a detective working to restart a decades-old unsolved case, it’s inefficient as well.
But detectives are problem solvers. College students became the solution.
First launched in 2020 with WMU and Michigan State University (MSU), the MSP has expanded its partnerships to now include cold case investigative programs at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Northern Michigan University (NMU).
While course structures differ by university, participating students must commit to at least two semesters and then they receive credits for class and laboratory work. Limited paid positions are also available for those wanting to continue in a leadership role with the program.
In total, an estimated 12 troopers started as students at one of the four programs and at least seven former students, like Mill, are on the roster to join upcoming trooper recruit schools.
“After organizing and analyzing case files, I helped create an animated presentation showing what we believe happened ballistically at the scene of a nearly 20-year-old unsolved homicide,” said Tpr. Evan Durbin, who participated in the program at NMU and is now assigned as a trooper at the MSP Negaunee Post. “The work we did came down to attention to detail. It directly applies to my job now and has helped to prepare me for what could come next in my career.”
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