Michigan State Police First Lt. Jay Peterson, a 1995 NMU justice studies alumnus, recently became the new commander of the MSP Hart Post. He oversees all operations serving Oceana, Lake, Mason and Newaygo counties.
Peterson was born and raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Following his graduation from NMU, he went on to complete 115th Trooper Recruit School and started as a post trooper in St. Ignace in 1997. Continuing his work, he joined the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET) and later served the Marquette Forensic Laboratory as a latent fingerprint examiner.
After spending 10 years in the forensic lab, Peterson became the detective sergeant at the Negaunee Post and then director of the Grand Rapids Forensic Lab. In addition to his extensive work, he has taught classes at NMU as part of the criminal justice program.
In a story on his appointment, Peterson said he is excited to return to fieldwork and looks forward to supporting troopers and sergeants in performing their duties as effectively as possible.
"I always say, if you work hard you will be blessed with opportunities, and I've been very blessed in my career,” said Peterson, who added that Hart's small-town feel reminds him of his hometown of Ishpeming. “I really enjoy being in Hart. It's a special place; the people are really great,”
Although based in Hart, Peterson's role takes him across the post's coverage area, where he meets with stakeholders and learns how best to support their needs. “There are a lot of good people doing this work,” he said.