JEFFERSON CITY -- Gov. Jay Nixon today announced that Col. Ron Replogle will retire as superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 1 after leading the agency for more than five years since being appointed by the Governor in February 2010, and after 31 years as a member of the Patrol. The Governor said he would submit the name of 28-year Patrol veteran Maj. Bret Johnson to the Missouri Senate in March for confirmation as the next superintendent.
"Col. Replogle has been every bit the leader that I expected-- demonstrating courage, conviction, intelligence and integrity," Gov. Nixon said. "Ron Replogle and the Patrol have continued to lead -- not just on the roads and in criminal investigations, but through fire and ice, floods and a record drought, a historic snowfall that closed Interstate-70, one of the largest and deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, and assisting local law enforcement agencies across the state in their times of need. I congratulate Ron on a tremendous job, and thank him for his service to the people of Missouri."
Gov. Nixon praised Replogle not only for his leadership during times of the many and varied natural disasters to impact Missouri since 2010, but also for the Patrol's nationally recognized work by taking drunk drivers off the road, and the work of troopers over several months in assisting St. Louis-area law enforcement during recent civil unrest.
Johnson, a native of Unionville, is currently the commander of the Patrol's Bureau of Field Operations, a division that includes more than three-quarters of the Patrol's 1,250 troopers and more than half of its more than 1,250 civilian employees. He was appointed to the Patrol in August 1986 and moved up through the ranks before being promoted to Major in 2007. Johnson has played a key command role in the Patrol's day-to-day operations as well as during the Patrol's response to provide local assistance.
"During the years I've been Governor, I've seen Bret Johnson provide outstanding leadership and service to Missouri when it was needed most," Gov. Nixon said. "I am proud to nominate him to be the next superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, where I know he will carry on in the finest tradition."
Johnson currently resides in Jefferson City with his wife, Cindy. They have two adult sons, one of whom is a corporal in the Patrol.
The Highway Patrol is divided into nine troops, with troop headquarters located around the state. Created by state law in 1931, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has evolved from a highway patrolling force to a full-service, accredited law enforcement agency.
While enforcing traffic laws and promoting safety on Missouri's 33,000 miles of state-maintained highways remains the Patrol's primary responsibility, the Patrol has been tasked by the Governor and the legislature with many additional law enforcement duties including: homeland security, motor vehicle inspection, commercial vehicle enforcement, driver's license examinations, criminal investigations, criminal laboratory analysis and research, public education, gaming enforcement and law enforcement training.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has received several prestigious designations reserved for the nation's top law enforcement agencies, including being recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) as a Flagship Agency. That designation acknowledges the achievement and expertise of select law enforcement agencies which provide "flagship examples" to assist other agencies. The Highway Patrol has been accredited by CALEA since 1992, and also has received the Meritorious Award, reserved for agencies that have been accredited for 15 or more continuous years by CALEA.