MI State Law Enforcement Poll

[warrior1978]

I would like to propose a little poll on State Law Enforcement jobs. Assuming all three were hiring (they're not) and you received an offer from all three, which would you choose and why? Keep in mind the pay differences, retirement differences, different perks and different job functions.

1) MSP Trooper

2) MSP Motor Carrier Officer

3) DNR Conservation Officer

[Prangler]

Troopers, due to the lateral movements...DB, SWAT, Etc...plus, I hate traffic, I dont think i could handle Motor Carrier and DNR I think would be fun for a while but get old after a while for me. I think what they do is interesting, and needed, just not for me.

[hounddog]

Well, I would not personally go to the state at all. But, since this is a game, I will play.

DNR
You get a boat, or two, or a PWC. You get a 4 wheeler, or a motorcycle, and a snowmobile. You get a truck with sweet one side headlight kill. You get several styles of unis, but, they are all green! You get that sweet fake deer to keep in your home as a trophy. You get to work from home about 90% of the time. You can go on anyone's property, and into homes, and into cars with very little reason. Plus you are a State Trooper Sorta (or STS for short) with very very similar pay and bene's. To me, as far as the state goes, it seems like a no brainer. :)

[USCGjoker]

I would choose State. I loved doing traffic and my longevity would carry over.

[erichilliard]

My Vote - Conservation Officer, although it is a virtual tie with troops. I wouldn't even consider Motor Carrier.

[Sabre]

It would be MSP for me

[BlueKnight116]

DNR
You get a boat, or two, or a PWC. You get a 4 wheeler, or a motorcycle, and a snowmobile. You get a truck with sweet one side headlight kill. You get several styles of unis, but, they are all green! You get that sweet fake deer to keep in your home as a trophy. You get to work from home about 90% of the time.

You forgot that they have very little paper work either. Especially when compared to the MSP. All of those reasons you listed above are reasons why I thought about switching over to the green about 10 years ago, but in the end I decided to stay put.


You can go on anyone's property, and into homes, and into cars with very little reason.

So can any other police officer. It is a common misconseption that CO's have special search/arrest powers. They don't. Any police officer within his jurisdiction can enforce all the same DNR statutes, in the same manner that CO's do, they only need to be shown how to do so.


Plus you are a State Trooper Sorta (or STS for short) with very very similar pay and bene's. To me, as far as the state goes, it seems like a no brainer. :)

The DNR CO's bargaining unit no longer has a "me too" agreement with the State in regards to their pay & benefits package matching that of the MSPTA. I know CO's lost their 25yrs and out retirement in 1997. Also I spoke to a CO (former MSP) buddy of mine just a couple of days ago, and he said that their pay started lagging behind MSP's few years ago. But if I was just starting out I wouldn't let any of that diswade me.

[Squader01]

State Trooper for me.

I was never really much of a nature boy, so I can't say DNR.

I like working Highway traffic at my current Deputy job, so I think hitting the Highways with the State Police would be fun. I realize they also service alot of areas for general Police services as well. I work with some Troops on occasion depending on where I'm rolling too.

I wouldn't highly consider Motor Carrier D, just for the simple reason I hate dealing with Commerical Vehicles, and the people who drive them. If I didn't have my current job by now, I was going to consider Motor Carrier Officer, as a stepping stone to Troop school, but I wouldn't anymore, if I don't make the one of the next Trooper recruit schools, I'm going to either stay at my Deputy job, or take a job with the California Highway Patrol, or the North Carolina State Troopers.

[Most_Wanted]

DNR for me

[Tbwingnut]

MSP...Always wanted to be a Trooper and still do really. I had to put myself through an academy and get a job though because of the low amount of hiring going on. I'll take the civil service again when mine expires and see what happens.

[mcd5391]

I would discourage any one from going into the Motor Carrier Div. There is no career advancement. I'ts a dead end job. They treat you like crap and hold you to a much higher standard then the Troops. They mirco manage you to death.

[Enviropig]

Here is another twist for your poll. I am technically a Conservation Officer but I do not work for the DNR. I am assigned to the Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI). In the last five years, OCI has hired from the ranks of traditional police departments. One of the qualifications is that you have at least two years of investigative experience (dope, homicide, etc.). We are all hired in as Detective Sergeants and are civil service classified Conservation Officer 12. DNR officers start at Conservation Officer 9 and then move up to 11. We are 100% plain clothes and drive unmarked investigative cars. We all have complete law enforcement authority and have all attended an MCOLES academy. There are a total of 16 Sergeants, 3 Lieutenants and one Chief. Our focus is on environmental crime investigations. Wetlands, solid waste, hazardous waste, drinking water contamination, Great Lakes protection, etc.

Check out our page and history at the following web address.
MDEQ Office of Criminal Investigations (http://michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3306_31127---,00.html)

[spso]

You forgot One Capitol Security Officer.

[MIDeputy]

You also forgot to mention Attorney General Investigator.

[spso]

Alot of them are already Officers that have left their depts to come work for the AG's, and I think some of them are retired MSP.

[Riverfuzz50]

I don't think anyone is forgetting these other positions...its just that the civil service test 2002 is for these positions, you can't mark "Attorney General Inspector" as an option, at least you couldn't when I took mine.

The three "main" ones shown as an option are the ones for the guys and gals out sweating in the heat, freezing in the cold, and dealing with mopes face to face day to day wearing a vest and 25 plus pounds of other gear. After you get tired of that you can transfer or promote and play dick-sergeant-in-a-tie and a climate controlled environment.

[MIDeputy]

Yeah you don't take the Civil Service Exam for AG Investigator. They just post the opening on the State Web-site under job openings. Then you must submit a resume for the position. They were just hiring a couple months back for a few different positions, (i.e. healthcare fraud unit, general criminal, and consumer protection). I sent in a resume, but I haven't heard anything back yet and I don't know if will or not. Maybe the HR people there just move at the typical government pace?