Category: Community

Port Huron Police Chief Joe Platzer and family find path to success at SC4

Port Huron Police Chief Joe Platzer says St. Clair County Community College gave him the opportunity to follow in his late father’s footsteps and his family a great jump-start on their careers.

Platzer, 49, said his namesake worked for the Port Huron Police Department for 32 years, retiring as lieutenant.

“From as far back as I can remember, seeing him in uniform and knowing what police officers did, that was my career path,” he said. “Seeing what he did for a living, I knew all along what I was going to do.”

A 1988 Port Huron High School graduate, Platzer enrolled in St. Clair County Community College’s criminal justice program in 1988, earning his associate degree in 1990. He served as a cadet with the Port Huron Police Department in conjunction with the SC4 program for three years.

“SC4 was a local college,” Platzer said. “I knew what I wanted to do for a living. Being here and being a local community college, it allowed me to get my start here.”

Platzer said his schooling provided him with training he would use on the job.

“The instructors I had, I knew them from them being employed at other (police) agencies,” he said. “With what they taught and what they provided, I was able to take it and use it in my daily work here at the police department. I was able to put it to good use.”

Platzer earned a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration from Eastern Michigan University in 2001 and later a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from University of Michigan-Flint in 2018.

Over the years, Platzer has climbed through the ranks at the Port Huron Police Department, serving from road patrol to special crimes unit for street gangs and narcotics, detective sergeant to major crimes unit. He received promotions to lieutenant in 2014, administrative lieutenant in 2016, captain in 2017 and chief in 2018.

“I virtually have worked every position here except dispatch,” he said.

The city’s police chief also has been an adjunct professor at SC4 since 2005, teaching classes from criminal justice basics to contemporary law enforcement.

“I like to teach,” he said. “I like to give back.”

Platzer’s connection with SC4 continues to grow. He and his wife Nanette, who works at the Fort Gratiot Fire Department, have two of their three children enrolled in SC4’s Blue Water Middle College Academy (BWMCA). Nicholas, 17, and Alexandra, 15, are current BWMCA students, while their oldest, Jacob, 19, is employed as a Fort Gratiot Township firefighter and with Tri-Hospital EMS.

“I think the Blue Water Middle College Academy is outstanding,” he said. “The fact that you can obtain an associate degree for staying one more year past high school graduation is amazing. With the cost of education, anything that can be paid for is a benefit.”

Platzer added he is appreciative of the fact that SC4 provided him with a quality education close to home.

“Being from Port Huron and being a local community college, I didn’t have to go away from home,” he said. “It was a good start to my future education.”

Local police chiefs credit SC4’s criminal justice program for career success

Police chiefs helping lead the way in two cities in Michigan’s thumb region say the criminal justice program at St. Clair County Community College helped them secure opportunities in their profession.

Imlay City Police Chief Scott Pike and Yale Police Chief Brian Mahaffy both attended SC4 to earn degrees and further their careers.

Pike, of Clyde Township, graduated cum laude from SC4 with an associate degree in criminal justice. He then earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Eastern Michigan University and master’s in public administration from University of Michigan-Flint.

“I came to Port Huron in 1991 after eight years in the U.S. Navy and a short stint as a police officer in Arizona,” Pike said. “I knew that in order to move up in my career as a police officer in Port Huron, higher education would be critical to my success.

“SC4 prepared me very well for my law enforcement career — more importantly, it prepared me for even higher levels of education. While working on my degree at SC4, my program was designed with the intent of transferring my credits to the university level. The curriculum and standards required at SC4 set me up for success.”

Pike credits the college for his many accomplishments.

“My career has gone beyond what I could ever have imagined,” he admitted. “I spent 25 years with the Port Huron Police Department. I rose through the ranks as a detective, sergeant and lieutenant. After retiring from the Port Huron Police Department, I accepted a position as chief of police with the Imlay City Police Department.

“Without SC4 starting me on my college educational path, there is no possible way I could have made it to where I am today,” Pike added. “I highly encourage anyone looking for a career in law enforcement to start with SC4 and continue on after.”

Brian Mahaffy of St. Clair Township attended SC4 after graduating from high school in 1982.

“I enjoyed the convenience of a college close to my hometown of Peck and liked the criminal justice program they offered,” he said.

Mahaffy said the Houston, Texas, Police Department ran a recruiting program that took him to the Houston Police Academy in 1984, where he served as a police officer for four years before returning to St. Clair.

In 1988, he was hired by the St. Clair Police Department, where he ultimately retired as sergeant in 2014.

“Before retiring, I returned to SC4 to continue my education and receive my associate degree in criminal justice,” Mahaffy said. “I went back to SC4 to finish my degree to further my chances for a promotion and a future chief’s job.”

Mahaffy hit the streets again as a school liaison officer in Yale in 2015 before becoming the city’s police chief.

“I chose to finish my degree at SC4 because I enjoyed the instructors and the class sizes in the past,” he said. “The location and the tuition cost were a factor as well. I have always liked SC4 and have recommended it to students over the years.”

Mahaffy said SC4 has not only been advantageous for him but also his family. His wife, Jill, was in the college’s nursing program and still practices in the area as a registered nurse, and their three sons — Brandon, 31, Kyle, 29, and Cody, 25 — all attended SC4.

“They all started at SC4 because it’s great college that’s affordable and close to home,” Mahaffy said. “My entire family has benefited from SC4 in their personal and professional lives. The college has guided us to our careers and the happy lives we live today.”

Dr. David H. Sturtz honors parents, supports SC4 students with new $50,000 endowed scholarship

“There’s an old saying: ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,’” says Dr. David H. Sturtz, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and St. Clair County Community College alumnus. “My mother was an avid reader and believer in higher education, though neither of my parents attended college. St. Clair County Community College was there for me. It’s where I got my start.”

Dr. Sturtz’s love and admiration for his parents, appreciation of his community college, and passion for improving the health and wellness of his patients inspired him to establish the David and Anne Sturtz Endowed Scholarship in memory of his parents to support SC4 students pursuing health care and STEM programs. The scholarship will help new generations of SC4 students positively impact quality of life in the Blue Water Area and far beyond for years to come.

Screen Shot 2019-05-13 at 9.45.37 AMDr. Sturtz grew up in Lexington, Mich. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy as a way to serve his country, see the world and secure a more stable path to a college education. The Vietnam War veteran chose SC4 at the end of his term to save money and get basic credits out of the way. According to Dr. Sturtz, SC4 advisors and faculty members provided immediate and lasting support and assistance.

“Our ship got in about two weeks into the start of the semester,” he says. “SC4 agreed to accept me late. Advisors like Paul Geer and professors such as Chris Russell took a chance on me and gave me invaluable advice. They helped guide me toward becoming a health care professional.”

Dr. Sturtz earned his Associate in Science from SC4 in 1974. He then transferred to Albion College, where he graduated summa cum laude as a pre-med major before enrolling at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. There, he met his wife, Barbara – the only U.S. Navy scholarship student in a class of more than 150 – and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery.

Though he had already spent years pursuing his dream career in health care, the organizational skills and perseverance learned in the Navy continued to serve him well in the years that followed. Dr. Sturtz completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Naval Hospital San Diego, followed by a three-year tour at the Naval Hospital Yokosuka Japan as the chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

He retired from the Navy in 1999, practiced at a number of offices around Metro Detroit, and purchased Plymouth Oral and Facial Surgery, PLC offices in Plymouth, Ann Arbor, and Chelsea. In addition, he has taught as an adjunct professor on the U-M School of Dentistry faculty for years and went back to school to earn a Master of Science in Business Administration with a health care administration specialty from Madonna University.

With vast professional experiences and credentials earned from a wide variety of prestigious institutions, Dr. Sturtz’s belief in SC4 holds strong.

“My mom always said the best investment you can make is in yourself,” says Dr. Sturtz, who resides in Northville with his wife and two daughters. “The quality of education and the support and services I found at SC4 were on par with anywhere else I went. I feel very fortunate to have started at SC4. It provided me with a solid foundation, great experience and a seamless transition.”

SC4 education made a difference for two long-serving local mayors

The mayors of St. Clair County’s largest city and one of its smallest towns both say St. Clair County Community College was there when they needed it.

Pauline Repp of Port Huron and Bill Cedar of St. Clair are both the longest-serving mayors in their respective towns.

Repp, 68, is serving her 10th year as mayor of Port Huron. She retired in 1989 after 20 years as the city clerk.

Born in England, Repp grew up in Canada and St. Clair and became a U.S. citizen in 1987. Repp began working in advertising at The Times Herald but left to take care of her young family. She then began working at the City of Port Huron as executive secretary to the city manager before being promoted to city clerk.

Repp said she couldn’t finish her classes at SC4 at the time but was fortunate enough to be able to return years later to take the remaining classes she needed.

“I started attending SC4 in the late 1960s while working but did not complete (my degree) at that time,” she said. “In the late 1980s, I re-enrolled and completed my associate degree in business administration.”

She said being able to obtain a quality education close to home is a blessing.

“When I decided to complete my associate degree, I had just been appointed as city clerk, and I felt that this additional education would be an enhancement to my career,” Repp continued.

“Attending classes at a local institution while working and being, at the time, a single mother was a necessary advantage,” she said. “The fact that you can get a quality education locally is the ideal opportunity, and I feel that I have definitely utilized what I learned in the SC4 environment.”

Bill Cedar, 62, has been mayor of St. Clair for the past 19 years after previously serving as a council member for eight years. He taught government, U.S. history, world history and physical education at East China Community Schools for 30 years.

He received an associate degree from SC4 and went on to earn a bachelor’s from Central Michigan University and master’s from Wayne State University.

Cedar said he was able to get a good start on his education at SC4.

“I was able to avoid student loans and do part-time work close to home,” he said. “I feel the smaller class sizes allowed me to get to know my professors better.”

Cedar added the college’s professors were both encouraging and compassionate.

“The thing about SC4 that I think helped me was the professors who took a genuine interest in my education,” Cedar added. “They treated me with kindness and care.”