In 100 years, the Michigan State Police has gone from being a temporary wartime emergency force of 300 men to a full-service law enforcement agency with nearly 10 times more employees.
The agency marked its centennial Wednesday at the Capitol building in Lansing.
Visitors saw displays about the state police's history. Gov. Rick Snyder and other top officials thanked troopers at a reception.
The agency's roots originated in World War I, when then-Gov. Albert Sleeper created the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force for domestic security.
Snyder says the mission remains the same despite technological advances, increased diversity and other changes within the state police. He says it's "about helping people" and "keeping people safe."
The agency last year rendered aid in about 43,000 traffic crashes and made nearly 73,000 arrests.
