The Sault Ste. Marie Police Department welcomed new-hire Ben Luke to the department on March 17, where he plans on staying for “the long run.”
I am a Yooper born and raised,” said Officer Luke. “I like the atmosphere and small town feel of the Sault. It's a small department. Everybody is close; everybody knows everybody. I am really enjoying it.”
Luke grew up in Marquette and graduated from Marquette Senior High School in 2017. His parents were registered nurses.
“I wanted to go into nursing until my sophomore year,” said Luke about deciding his future. “Everybody in my family has served. You can trace the military lineage back as you want to go on both sides.”
It was assumed Luke would go into a field that allowed him to serve the public in some way. After thinking and talking it over, he realized his path of making a difference would look somewhat different from that of his parents.
“When asked why I wanted to be a nurse, I couldn't answer,” Luke said. “I grew up with a ‘helping others’ attitude. I wanted to be in a first responder-type position. Law enforcement allowed me to do that. Policing embodied every aspect of my life. ”
Luke went on to attend Northern Michigan University (NMU). He coached swimming and diving teams. He also maintained employment in his chosen field of study.
“I was a dispatcher for Northern Michigan University,” he said.
Luke spent time in Ann Arbor and other cities throughout the state, all the while missing that small town vibe.
“I applied at Sault Ste. Marie a couple months back,” said Luke. “They conducted a background investigation and interview. They called me right back.”
Luke was hired less than seven months after completing the Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) academy at NMU last August.
“I am really enjoying it,” he said of his new position. “I am still learning and really green. I am on morning shift right now but will transition to nights. I like nights. They are doing a good job of teaching me here. There is always something new. No two calls are the same. It's fun. Everyday is different.”
United States Army Infantry/Security Specialist Veteran Andrew Selke is also new to the department. He was hired as a full-time police officer on March 11th.
Selke graduated from Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in 2020 with an associates degree in criminal justice. He graduated from the Kirtland Regional Police Academy later that same year.
Selke has worked for the Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office since June 2021. If the name seems familiar, it could be because he previously served the Sault from 2018 to 2020 as a member of Sault Auxiliary Police.
Officers Ben Luke and Andrew Selke will be introduced to the public at the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission meeting this evening at 7 p.m.
