Missouri State Highway Patrol
| Missouri State Highway Patrol | |||||
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| Abbreviation | MSHP | ||||
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Patch of the Missouri State Highway Patrol
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Flag of the State of Missouri
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| Motto | Together Protecting Missouri's Citizens Simul protegens Missouri scriptor Cives (Latin) |
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| Agency overview | |||||
| Formed | 1931 | ||||
| Employees | 2,248 (as of 2004) [1] | ||||
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency | ||||
| Jurisdictional structure | |||||
| Operations jurisdiction* | State of Missouri, U.S. | ||||
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| Missouri State Highway Patrol Troops | |||||
| Size | 69,704 square miles (180,530 km2) | ||||
| Population | 6,044,171(2013 est.) | ||||
| Legal jurisdiction | State of Missouri | ||||
| Governing body | Missouri Department of Public Safety | ||||
| General nature | |||||
| Operational structure | |||||
| Headquarters | 1510 East Elm Street Jefferson City, MO 65102 | ||||
| Troopers | 1,097 (as of 2004) [1] | ||||
| Civilians | 1,151 (as of 2004) [1] | ||||
| Elected officer responsible | Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon | ||||
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Missouri Department of Public Safety | ||||
| Facilities | |||||
| Troops | 9 | ||||
| Dogs | 11 German Shepherds | ||||
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| Website | |||||
| MSHP Website | |||||
| Footnotes | |||||
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |||||
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is the highway patrol agency for Missouri and has jurisdiction anywhere within the state. Colonel J. Bret Johnson has served as Superintendent since May 1, 2015. [2]
State laws pertaining to the Highway Patrol including its creation, powers, structure, mission and duties are specified in Chapter 43 of Missouri Revised Statutes (RSMo).[3] According to Chapter 43.025 RSMo: "The primary purpose of the highway patrol is to enforce the traffic laws and promote safety upon the highways. As near as practicable all personnel of the patrol shall be used for carrying out these purposes." The MSHP has a criminal investigation division that investigates crimes statewide such as murder, robbery, burglary, rape and financial crimes. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is more than a Highway Patrol; MSHP functions more like a full service state police agency.
In 1992, MSHP became only the 10th State Police/Highway Patrol to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is a division of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Other DPS agencies include:
- Missouri Capitol Police
- Missouri State Water Patrol - Missouri Water Patrol has been merged with the Highway Patrol.
- Missouri Homeland Security
- Missouri State Emergency Management Agency
- Missouri Gaming Commission
- Missouri Fire Marshall
Contents
Organization
General Headquarters (GHQ) and the Law Enforcement Academy are located in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital.
The state is divided into nine troops, with troop headquarters and communications centers located in the following cities:
Troop A: Lee's Summit (Kansas City)
Troop B: Macon
Troop C: Weldon Spring (St. Louis)
Troop D: Springfield
Troop E: Poplar Bluff
Troop F: Jefferson City
Troop G: Willow Springs
Troop H: St. Joseph
Troop I: Rolla
In addition, three of the troops maintain service centers:
Troop C: Park Hills
Troop D: Carthage
Troop E: Sikeston
Vehicles
The MSHP utilizes a variety of vehicles, including the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI), the Dodge Charger, the Dodge RAM 1500 and 2500 series, the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2500 series, the Chevrolet Impala 9C1, the Chevrolet Caprice, the Ford Interceptor (Taurus), the Ford Explorer, and the Ford F-150 and F-250. Both regularly marked and slicktop vehicles are used frequently. Colors include: white, tan, blue, silver, black, and maroon.
Command Staff
Superintendent: Colonel J. Bret Johnson The Superintendent is supported by the Assistant Superintendent and six Bureau Commanders.
Deputy Superintendent: Lieutenant Colonel Sandy K. Karsten The assistant superintendent oversees the Patrol's Professional Standards and Public Information and Education divisions as well as the Patrol's legal counsel. .
Major Gregory K. Smith commands the Patrol's Field Operations Bureau, which has authority over the Patrol's nine Troops, the Aircraft Division and the Water Patrol Division.
Major Luke Vislay oversees the Criminal Investigation Bureau, which has authority over the Crime Laboratory, Drug and Crime Control, Gaming, MIAC and Governor's Security Divisions.
Major Malik A. Henderson is commander of the Administrative Services Bureau, which has authority over the Budget and Procurement, Human Resources, and Training divisions.
Major Gregory D. Kindle has authority over the Support Services Bureau, which directs the Public Information and Education, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Driver Examination, Motor Vehicle Inspection, and Motor Equipment divisions.
Major Sarah L. Eberhard is responsible for the Technical Services Bureau, which directs the Communications, Criminal Justice Information Services, Information Systems, Traffic, and Research and Development divisions.
Major Kemp A. Shoun is Major Shoun has oversight of the Executive Services Bureau, which directs the Budget and Procurement and the Governor's Security divisions.
Captain Kyle D. Marquart is assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), works under the direction of the Commander.
FOB Staff
Also assigned to the Field Operations Bureau (FOB) are: Major Tommy E. Roam, Captain Ronald L. Walker, Captain Gregory K. Smith, Captain Mark Richerson, Lieutenant Ethan P. Ahern, and Lieutenant Paul D. Kerperin.
Personnel killed on duty
Thirty-one officers have been killed on police duty. One member died while serving in the military in World War II.[4][5]
Rank structure
The Missouri State Highway Patrol rank structure is as listed:
| Rank | Insignia | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Superintendent |
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The Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol holds the rank of colonel. |
| Lieutenant Colonel |
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The assistant superintendent oversees the Patrol's Professional Standards and Public Information and Education divisions as well as the Patrol's legal counsel. |
| Major |
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Majors are responsible for a command within the state police. |
| Captain |
 |
A captain is a troop commander in the Field Operations Bureau or a division commander in one of the other bureaus. |
| Lieutenant |
 |
A lieutenant is the commander of each barrack. Other Lieutenants may command a unit. |
| Sergeant | Sergeants act as shift commanders or duty officers. | |
| Corporal |
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Corporals are the first-line supervisors and are usually assigned as road supervisors within barracks. In the absence of a sergeant, they may act as the duty officer. |
| Trooper | Candidates successfully completing the academy and field training are appointed as troopers. |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 USDOJ Statistics
- ↑ Colonel J. Bret Johnson Sworn Into Office
- ↑ Missouri General Assembly web site
- ↑ Missouri State Highway Patrol web site - The Ultimate Sacrifice
- ↑ The Officer Down Memorial Page
