Michigan State Police trooper James Cheese recalls his mother recently coming across
something a very young James wrote years ago: “When I grow up, I want to be a police
officer,” it said.
But as years passed, other possible career paths filled his mind. Then, years later,
through a program of ridealongs with sheriff’s deputies and city police officers,
that childhood dream suddenly became clearer. A job in law enforcement would be his
future.
So, after graduating from Ypsilanti Lincoln High School, Cheese enrolled at Washtenaw
Community College, eventually earning an associate degree in Liberal Arts.
“I loved it here at WCC,” Trooper James Cheese said in a recent interview with Launch Magazine. “I remember Welcome Day. I remember the friends I had here.”
Student James Cheese probably got to know many more people at WCC than his peers.
He worked at the busy Subway sandwich shop on the first floor of the Student Center.
But he credits WCC for focusing him on the important things in life. “I wanted to
do something that matters,” he said.
In 2016, he followed his dream by enrolling at the Michigan State Police Academy in
Lansing. Now, four years later, Trooper Cheese is in his second posting — the Metro
South Post in Livonia, where he patrols busy Telegraph Road, among other duties.
His first assignment was at the State Police Post in Niles, where he was part of a
multi-state investigation of prescription drug fraud. That investigation eventually
led to arrests and recovery of money and fraudulent prescriptions.
The 27-year-old trooper is not finished with his education. This summer he will return
part time to WCC to earn a few more credits, then transfer to Eastern Michigan University
where he will complete a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
As for his career path: “I wouldn’t change a thing,” Trooper Cheese said. “Through
Pell grants, I got the financial assistance I needed when I started here at WCC.”
He also credits the college’s advisers for keeping him on the right track. “There
was a time when I was actually homeless,” he said. “The advisers here helped me during
that difficult time.”
Next stop on Trooper Cheese’s career path will be back at the college he loves.
Tags: Advising, Counseling, Police Academy, ousearch_News_Launch Magazine, police