After serving as a Sergeant in the US Army MP Corp, Lt. Pelkki joined the Saginaw Township Police Department in 1987.
Lt. Pelkki's past experience with the department includes serving 12 years on the Emergency Services Team, a road patrol officer and detective and juvenile detective. He has also served as a road patrol sergeant and past president of STPOA. He is a founding member of the Critical Incident Debriefing Team and a Field Training Sergeant, as well as a Sergeant with the STPD honor guard.
Lt. Pelkki also supervises the Saginaw Township Police Motorcycle and Traffic units. He has served as a Deputy Medical Examiner Scene Investigator for the Saginaw County Medical examiners office.
Lt. Pelkki has attended numerous leadership in service training and most recently earned a certificate in Leadership Potential Development from the Academy of Leadership Associates in conjunction with the FBI. He also has received training from the Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Institute and the Michigan Police Executive Development Seminar. He also holds a bachelors degree from Saginaw Valley State University, where he was a member of the 1979 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship football team.