Introductions are in order

by Chief John Torres

Officers Tony Coln, Ron Hodder, Josh Watson,  Chief Johnnie Torres.

The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes, or so the saying goes. Many readers may already know, but I want to update you on the status of the Stockbridge Police Department and its current personnel.

In the last several months the SPD has had to say goodbye to three officers and then welcomed three replacements. The first to move on recently was Stockbridge’s own, Officer Darren Shackelford. He was a part-time officer for almost three years before he took a full-time position with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in July 2017. The second was Officer Brad Hagman who served with the SPD for over two years before also taking a much sought-after, full-time position with the Lansing Police Department in February of this year. Just this past June, we lost our full-time officer, Adam Michele, to the bright lights of the Mason metropolis.

Officer Michele faithfully served the citizens of Stockbridge for over six years, starting here in 2012. He is now serving with the Mason Police Department where I am sure he will continue to provide high quality service for their citizens just as he did for ours. I want to wish all these fine officers the best of luck in their future careers and thank them for their service.

Replacing those fine officers was not easy, but we were able to bring on two quality officers. The first to join the SPD was Officer Josh Watson. Officer Watson from the Jackson area joined us in February of this year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Defiance University in Ohio and was previously a deputy in Jackson County. He is our part-time officer and also works as a realtor.

The next to join the SPD is our full-time replacement, Officer Tony Coln. Officer Coln joined us in June of this year and previously worked in Tuscola County. He holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice Administration and earned over twenty certificates and licenses, including four instructor certifications. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. As an active member of his previous community, Officer Coln served as Secretary for the Fraternal Order of Police, Commander of the American Legion Post, Vice President of the Triad Organization and active member of the Lions Club. Officer Coln enjoys being a positive influence for local school students and has been a frequent keynote speaker on topics such as drug and alcohol awareness for teenagers, bullying prevention and social media issues. Please welcome Officers Watson and Coln to Stockbridge.

We at the SPD remain committed to providing the citizens of Stockbridge the best police service possible with the resources available to us. I appreciate all of you and the support you have shown the SPD and me, and I ask for your continued support as we navigate through these trying times in law enforcement and the challenges in recruitment and retention of law enforcement professionals. We are here to serve you!  Please contact us or stop in the office any time to express your concerns about the safety and quality of life issues that affect you, or call us at 517-851-7517.

Stay vigilant; stay safe.

Chief John Torres, a native of Flint, began his career as a reserve police officer before joining the City of Lansing Police where he served for more than 14 years. He joined the Stockbridge Police Department in 2009 and became its chief in 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint and is married with two adult children.