Michigan State Police to Pay WMU Students to Solve Cold Cases

Michigan State Police are helping Western Michigan University students in the Cold Case Program with career opportunities as well as helping victim's families get some closure. The Cold Case program at WMU has been relying on donations to fund this work. And the program has already has a great reputation for helping detectives in unsolved homicides and missing persons cases.

Results in solving cold cases

According to WMU News, The WMU Cold Case Program helped solve two cases in just one year. Cold Case Program students assisted detectives in the 1987 murder investigation of Roxanne Wood, which led to the arrest and sentencing of Patrick Gilham in February 2022. And in 2023, they helped detectives identify Robert Waters as the primary suspect in the 1988 murder of Cathy Swartz. Students are currently assisting detectives in 14 other unsolved homicide and missing persons cases.

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How the Cold Case Program works

The program accepts applicants twice a year, in February and October. The Cold Case Program only accepts 15 students each semester. Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and at least sophomore standing. Applications are also not limited to any one major.

Students in the Cold Case Program will become a part of Michigan State Police as either state police cadets or student assistants. They'll also be paid for working in the Cold Case Program as well as additional pay from Michigan State Police. So not only are students gaining real life experience while they're learning, they also help State police get access to highly trained potential recruits.