<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2KA91K_0uu5pVE700" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2KA91K_0uu5pVE700" width="650" height="501" ><figcaption>Roger Craig (Submitted photo/Michigan State Police) </figcaption></figure> After about 11 years, the new Michigan State Police Traverse City Post commander finally got his wish. “When I started in 2013, you had a wish list of where you wanted to go during recruit school,” Traverse City post commander Roger Craig told the Record Patriot. He started his state police career in May 2013, as a member of the 125th Trooper Recruit School. At the time, Traverse City state police was under the direction of the Cadillac post, which was his top choice. “The Cadillac post, which Traverse City fell under, was my No. 1 pick,” he said. His list of top 10 hopeful spots included places in northern Michigan and places in the western part of the state. But Craig didn’t get his favorite choices. Craig originally hails from Greenville in&nbsp;Montcalm County. He was first assigned in the Secure Cities Partnership where he worked in Detroit,&nbsp;Inkster, Pontiac, Highland Park, Harper Woods and Hamtramck. He was promoted to sergeant at the Michigan State Police Metro North Post. Craig transferred to Gaylord post as a sergeant and then most recently, Traverse City post where he was promoted. "We have family ties up here and after settling with kids, and kind of looking at the bigger picture of raising a family, being closer to grandparents, we decided to take the opportunity to go up to northern Michigan," Craig&nbsp;said. "After (Gaylord) I transferred to the Traverse City post because it was closer to home." Prior to his law enforcement career, Craig enlisted into the Army National Guard in 2006 and earned his bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University.&nbsp;In 2011, Craig was commissioned as an infantry officer and completed a combat tour in Afghanistan. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0cEHML_0uu5pVE700" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0cEHML_0uu5pVE700" width="650" height="964" ><figcaption>Roger Craig (Submitted photo/Michigan State Police) </figcaption></figure><h2 class="cci_subhead" title="CCI Subhead"> Commander’s goals </h2> Craig started his new role as the post commander on Aug. 4. Craig replaces Stephen Porter. Both hold a first lieutenant rank. Porter now leads the state police’s Seventh District Special Investigative Section overseeing all of the detectives in northern Michigan. Craig said he is paying close attention to the post’s collective goals like reconnecting with the area after the Traverse City post had been closed for almost 12 years until it reopened as a full-service post in 2023. The Traverse City post also covers Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. Prior to 2023, the Cadillac post also had troopers who would rotate to cover&nbsp;Benzie County. “This post was closed for a meaningful amount of time, and when it’s closed for that long and it reopens, we’ve got to have ascertainable goals,” he said. Craig has goals like increasing active contributions to the area as well as working with partner first response agencies. “We always had a great relationship, but now since we’re a permanent fixture here, my goal is ‘How can I be a further asset (with the resources I have) to Traverse City (Police Department), (Grand Traverse) County and Benzie County, Leelanau County — what resources can I bring to them to help their mission set on a daily basis?’” he said. The exchange and teamwork-styled relationship would also bring about benefits for the post. “I’ve lived here since October, and that little glimpse allowed me to see we have a great working relationship with each of law enforcement (agencies) but there’s more that we can give them,” Craig added. “The relationship is great, and I want to make it even better and I want us to not just be different departments but all of us sharing the same goal of achieving public safety effectively and efficiently while growing our community.” He said one way of helping to grow ties with the areas they serve is to play to the interests of the troopers. “The thing I’m really encouraging is for my troopers (who) are from all diverse backgrounds, is find something that you enjoy doing, and doing it at a community capacity,” he said. “We all have skillsets outside of law enforcement that can make the community better." He said some of the troopers do this by helping with local sports programs. “And if we can represent the state police while doing that, I think that’s just going to create a better relationship,” Craig said. Craig said he is in the process of understanding the needs in Benzie County and how to meet those needs. “(Previously) we fell under the umbrella of the Cadillac post. It was a five-county post and when a post area is that large you can’t really be everywhere," he said. "Now, with the three-county (post), it’s more manageable. And we can start seeing faces more often and we can give out attention in more specific places and have a more meaningful impact.” Eventually, Craig wants it to become normal for residents to see state police patrol vehicles in the area. “I don’t want this idea of ‘Oh, the state police is here, there must be something big going on.’ … We’re public servants in all facets, I want us to see patrol cars at football games in Benzie County and Leelanau County. I want to be seen in Grand Traverse County not (just) as an enforcement entity, but as a member of the community.” </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Greenville native named new local post commander

\"We’re public servants in all facets, I want us to see patrol cars at football games in Benzie County and Leelanau County. I want to be seen ... as a member of the community.”

"We’re public servants in all facets, I want us to see patrol cars at football games in Benzie County and Leelanau County. I want to be seen ... as a member of the community.”