Trooper honored for helping Southwest Michigan migrant community

Feb. 08, 2023

VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI – A Michigan State Police trooper was honored for her work helping the migrant community in Southwest Michigan.

Trooper Conner Mabie helped organize free laundry, a summer youth program and a car seat safety check through the MSP Paw Paw Post’s Migrant Outreach Initiative, a news release said. She was honored Feb. 8, with the Colonel Etue Community Impact Award for her work with residents.

Mabie created 11 community events in 2022, with the help of other people at the post, the release said. She was able to schedule Spanish-speaking troopers and sergeants to attend some events.

One thing she organized was migrant farmer laundry days with a $500 donation that provided free detergent and laundry to more than 300 migrant families.

The summer youth program for migrant children started in June, with Mabie and two other troopers spending Wednesdays at a local school, interacting with children. They developed relationships with children in the program who may not normally see police in a positive way, the release said.

Mabie also visited the Telamon Keeler Migrant Head Start in Hartford, where she read to the preschoolers. She also did a car seat safety check for parents, where 11 car seats were correctly installed, the release said.