ALPENA — Trooper Robert Mitchell of the Michigan State Police Alpena Post has been awarded the Cpl. Samuel A. Mapes Criminal Patrol and Investigation Award. He was recognized at a ceremony in Lansing on Wednesday.

Mapes, an early pioneer in criminal patrol and investigation, was killed in the line of duty during the prohibition era. The annual award honors the top 5 percent of troopers in each district for looking “past the traffic stop” to excel in proactive criminal patrol and criminal investigations closed by felony arrests.

Each award recipient receives a special service ribbon to wear on their uniform. It includes seven blue stars in honor of Mapes, who was the seventh MSP trooper to die in the line of duty.

In addition, top award recipients have the first opportunity to drive special edition black and gold patrol cars that were recently added to the MSP patrol fleet in honor of the department’s 100th anniversary. Fifty fully equipped 2016 Dodge Chargers are painted to resemble MSP’s iconic 1937 Ford Model 74 patrol car.