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Criminal Justice Student Honored for Operation Golden Eagle Traffic Safety Initiative

Ferris State UniversityA Ferris State University Criminal Justice senior has received an award, for his work on the Operation Golden Eagle traffic safety initiative, at the 24th annual Michigan Traffic Safety Summit in East Lansing on Wednesday, March 20.

Jeremy Farmer, of Mecosta, who will graduate with his Bachelor of Science CJ degree in May, completed an internship in the Summer 2018. That assignment placed Farmer at the Michigan State Police post in Lakeview, along with an observer’s role with the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety.

“I was asked to develop a traffic safety program by MSP First Lieutenant Kevin Sweeney, the post commander,” Farmer said. “Thanks to five-and-a-half years of experience in security with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe, I have had the opportunity to work concerts in the Entertainment Hall at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, and at their outdoor venue. These shows bring traffic spikes to the area, so I suggested Operation Golden Eagle, which had State Police troopers on patrol in the vicinity of the casino for three-hour to six-hour periods, on concert nights.”

The casino is in the service area of the MSP Mount Pleasant post, but Farmer said a collaborative effort saw state troopers from Mount Pleasant and Lakeview deployed for a total of 25 hours, before and following concert events from late June to mid-September in 2018. Operation Golden Eagle was credited with reducing the number of accidents and occurrences of distracted driving.

“These troopers made a total of 115 traffic contacts, over a schedule of six concerts during the initiative,” Farmer said. “There was one driver arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, a number of citations issued, participating troopers gave 37 verbal warnings, and a fugitive was apprehended as a result of the patrols.”

Farmer’s contribution as a Ferris student, in concert with the Michigan State Police, was selected for an Outstanding Traffic Safety Achievement Award by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission. Operation Golden Eagle won one of five such awards from the commission. Farmer was recognized for this effort during the annual GTSAC awards ceremony at the summit, which was held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, in East Lansing.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a definite boost as I begin my career,” Farmer said. “I am very thankful to the troopers at the Lakeview and Mount Pleasant posts, and F/Lt. Sweeney, in particular, for the support and encouragement given throughout the process.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Jeremy Farmer, (center) a graduating senior from Mecosta in Ferris State University's Criminal Justice-Generalist program, accepted an Outstanding Traffic Safety Achievement Award for “Operation Golden Eagle,” an initiative that he suggested while serving an internship with the Lakeview State Police post in the Summer of 2018. Pictured with Farmer are MSP Lakeview Post Commander Kevin Sweeney (left) and Michael Prince, (right) director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.