Ofc. Casey Stutzman, Alpena Police

I am writing this letter on behalf of Marc Curtis based on my personal experiences.

The sad reality of the current state of law enforcement is that if you are out there doing your job and involved in criminal complaints and investigations, you will find yourself in some sort of legal issues. Whether it is being named in a frivolous civil suit or a more serious matter, going through that process in our current times is a very lonely and stressful process. The way the system is set up can create an environment of isolation and a feeling of outcast for officers involved in any type of legal proceedings or allegations. Compounding these feelings is not being able to talk with leadership and co-workers that know you best and often make up your professional support systems.
You grow to rely on these systems and one day, suddenly, they are not available. This can put any officer into a tailspin leading to a very dark and lonely space that can be difficult to recover from.

This was the situation for me when I was experiencing a professional legal battle. No matter how ridiculous the allegations are, it is still a devastating process to go through. Your rational side knows the law and what happened, so you tell yourself not to worry. The reality, however, it is very easy to let your thoughts spiral out of control and assume the worst. Pair that with how these situations are handled within an officer’s department and the courts and it makes for very challenging and uncertain times.

I am and will always be eternally grateful that when I went through my situation, I had Marc Curtis to lean on. I had never met Marc before, but he fought for me that way a lifelong childhood friend would. I appreciated that he was honest, up front and was always there when I needed anything at all, even just to talk. I came to rely heavily on Marc during that very difficult time for me and he never let me down. Marc’s courage and confidence made me feel much more at ease because I knew I could trust him, and he would always be upfront with me.

I owe my career to Marc. In a world where it seems a lot of people are attacking law enforcement it is comforting to know that there are also those that are working so hard to have our back. Thank you, Marc, for going over and above to defend the blue, we all owe you a debt of gratitude.

Sincerely,

Officer Casey Stutzman
Alpena Police Department