MSP IACP Honors: Gaylord Outreach, Data Work and Leadership

Michigan State Police Announces IACP Honors for Outreach, Data Work and Leadership

Michigan State Police announced IACP awards recognizing Gaylord community assistance, Eric Fowler’s data work and First Lieutenant Ty Purdy’s leadership.

By Joy

Published Oct 29, 2026 Updated Oct 29, 2026 Verified sourcing

Contextual file photo: Michigan State Police vehicle outside Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, September 26, 2015; not the 2026 IACP honorees or ceremony. Photo: Ken Lund / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized by ThinBlueNews from the Wikimedia thumbnail. This adapted image is also licensed CC BY-SA 2.0; no endorsement implied.

MICHIGAN — Michigan State Police announced IACP honors for two individual recipients and its State Trooper Outreach Partnership (S.T.O.P.) Gaylord Chapter in a release dated 2026-10-28 (October 28, 2026).

First Lieutenant Ty Purdy and Eric Fowler received the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 Under 40 Award, while the Gaylord chapter received the Webber Seavey Excellence in Law Enforcement Award, according to the agency.

The release places the recognition at the association’s 2026 gathering in Florida but does not give an exact ceremony date. October 28 is the announcement date, not a confirmed date for the award presentations.

Practical help in northern Michigan

MSP says the Gaylord chapter was established in northern Michigan in 2022 to give troopers resources to help people in need, especially where after-hours emergency services are limited and winter conditions add difficulties.

Its assistance has included paying for flat-tire repairs and hotel rooms, constructing wheelchair ramps and hosting community events, according to the release. Donations, fundraisers and grants support those efforts.

The chapter has also donated book vending machines to multiple schools, MSP said. Specialist Lieutenant Ashley Miller, the chapter’s president, accepted the award on the group’s behalf.

Data tools and a trooper’s career

Fowler manages MSP’s Data Strategy and Governance Section. The agency says he has led its Modern Culture of Data Program for the past five years, helping introduce interactive dashboards with near-real-time crime, traffic, personnel and public-safety information.

According to MSP, the platform serves more than 3,000 users and includes the agency’s first public-facing crime dashboard.

Purdy commands the Flint Post. MSP says the former paramedic and sheriff’s deputy joined the department in 2013 and graduated from its 125th Trooper Recruit School. His assignments have included trooper, canine handler, interdiction team member and supervisor.

The IACP’s own 2026 40 Under 40 awardee list also includes Fowler and Purdy.

Sources: Michigan State Police’s October 28 announcement; IACP’s 2026 40 Under 40 awardees.