Marty Trombley, former Mt. Pleasant Director of Public Safety and Police Chief, passed away peacefully from heart failure on June 3, 2022. Marty joined the Mt. Pleasant Police Department (MPPD) as Director and Police Chief in September 1980, a position he held until his retirement in 1998.
During his 18-year tenure, Marty was known for his innovative thinking, dedication to continuous training, relationship building, mentoring and unwavering tenacity. Always committed to making the Mt. Pleasant Division of Public Safety a strong and industry-leading organization, Marty was constantly reviewing the division and providing his officers with the best training and educational resources available. This included expanding experiences for officers through special assignments, like BAYANET. Marty assisted the State of Michigan in developing this unit and was instrumental in establishing the unit’s protocols.
Partnerships and open communication were a cornerstone of Marty’s operational philosophy. He established weekly Chiefs meetings where heads of the area’s five police agencies would meet to share critical information and coordinate efforts. He also formed the Isabella County Traffic Unit, comprised of multiple local law enforcement agencies, which was funded by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
Marty was ahead of the curve regarding the benefits when police officers demonstrate a strong, open and honest rapport with youth. He consistently met with school officials to discuss the importance and implementation of placing officers in schools. This ultimately led to the formation of the Youth Service Unit (YSU), which is still in existence today.
CMU students were also recruited by Marty to assist in the containment of the End of World parties. He was a groundbreaker in getting CMU students and Greek organizations involved. Marty served as the original liaison between these groups and developed the CMU Student Neighborhood Watch programs.
Marty’s passion to get the community what it needed led to the construction of a new Division of Public Safety building, located at the intersection of High and Mission Street. This project involved many community conversations and the ultimate move from the constricted University Street location.
Marty maintained strong law enforcement connections across the state. Even after his retirement in 1998, he was still dedicated to law enforcement. Marty conducted state-wide seminars, workshops and assessment centers; work-based scenario exercises used for the advancement of law enforcement officials. He thus freely gave back to the profession years after retirement and served as a mentor to many. As former Mt. Pleasant Public Safety Director and Police Chief Bill Yeagley recalled, “Marty’s mentoring, teaching, and encouragement played a vast role in the positive development of so many law enforcement professionals, myself included. Marty was all about others.”
“Marty reshaped the culture of the Mt. Pleasant Division of Public Safety,” observed current Director of Public Safety and Police Chief Paul Lauria. “Many of us were hired by Marty and were thereby fortunate to play an active role in this transformative period. He has positively influenced not only those of us that worked with him, but the law enforcement profession as a whole.”
For funeral and memorial information visit: https://www.charlesrlux.com/
City of Mt.Pleasant 
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