Sgt. Dennis Finch Memorial Scholarship

The Sgt. Dennis Finch Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the memory of the Traverse City police officer killed in the line of duty on May 13, 1998, at the age of 52. A native of Leelanau County, Sgt. Finch graduated from Glen Lake High School in 1964. He joined the U. S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam for four years before returning to the Grand Traverse area. He joined the Traverse City Police Department in 1968 and observed his thirtieth anniversary as a police officer prior to his death. Sgt. Finch was the first Traverse City police officer to be killed in the line of duty. His family, friends and colleagues remember him as a devoted family man, a caring friend and a thorough professional who dedicated his life to protecting others.