Back in 2010, while serving as a Westland policeman, I was in charge of the police explorer program. For those of you who do not know what that is, it is a program through the Boy Scouts of America that allows young folks the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a career field they are interested in.

One day I got an email from a 15 year old kid, Marcin Puczyłowski, advising me, he is lifelong citizen of Poland and is going to be participating in the student exchange program at Wayne Memorial high school. Marcin said he would like to visit the Westland Police Department, and maybe get a tour of the department as he was very interested in law enforcement in the United States.

Marcin wanted to join our police explorer program, but did not know if he was eligible due to the fact he was not a United States citizen and further he was only going to be here for a short time during the school year. I told Marcin I would love to give him a tour of our police department, and that I would check in to the legalities of him possibly becoming a member of our police explorer program.

The day Marcin made it to Michigan, he contacted me to arrange a tour of the Police Department. I finally met Marcin in person and gave him a tour. I instantly took a liking to Marcin and was happy to inform him, he is in fact eligible to take part in our police explorer program. Marcin told me one day he will get his United States citizenship and will become a Michigan State Trooper.

Marcin joined our police explorer program and started doing ride along’s with me.  It didn’t take much time for Marcin to become friends with all of the other police officers, and he started doing ride alongs with several of them as well.

Everybody that met him in the department took a liking to him and officers who typically would not allow ride alongs, made an exception, and would allow Marcin to ride with them. He was given the nickname Poland because no one was able to pronounce his last name.

While Marcin was participating in our explorer program, he had was able to attend a weeklong youth police academy at the military base in Alpena.  He was so excited to actually have the opportunity to visit a military base in the United States and as bad as my memory is, I remember him saying he never dreamed he would be able to do something like that.

As the school year ended, Marcin had a few weeks before he had to go back to Poland. Marcin’s parents came to the US for these last few weeks of his visit with the intent of taking Marcin around the US on a sightseeing tour.

Instead of traveling around the US Marcin told me he would rather stay in Westland and continue doing his ride alongs. Marcins time with his host family was about to end, and with the blessing of his parents, Marcin  moved in with us for the duration of his visit.

Marcin returned to Poland and said he will be back someday to get his US citizenship and pursue his dream of becoming a Michigan State Trooper. While living with us, our bond became stronger and I would jokingly refer to him as my step son. Seeing him leave was very difficult for April and I, as well as Madisyn and Jake as they too became very fond of him.

After finally graduating, Marcin did return to the United States where he attended college. Marcin joined the military and was actually deployed. By joining the military Marcin obtained his US citizenship.

Today, 11/22/23, me and my partner in Westland, Brian Humphrey, were honored to be invited to Lansing to see Michigan’s newest State Trooper, Trooper Marcin Puzcylowski, being sworn in. Marcin will be proudly serving as a Michigan State Trooper assigned to the Taylor post in the next week.

When I saw Marcin dressed as a Michigan State Trooper today the tears started flowing as they are now as I write this.

Marcin said he was so lucky and the American Dream is alive and well. If you ask me, we all are the lucky ones, because Marcin is exactly the type of police officer we need right now. There is no doubt someone reading this post will someday be helped by Marcin.

Marcin, everyone who worked with you are very proud of you. Watch your back and Godspeed.

Shared from retired policeman Matthew Bobby.