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Karsten named new public safety director

Col. Sandra Karsten will take over on Sept. 1 as director of the Mo. Dept. of Public Safety.
Office of Gov. Mike Parson
Col. Sandra Karsten will take over on Sept. 1 as director of the Mo. Dept. of Public Safety.

Gov. Mike Parson has removed the interim tag from Sandra Karsten’s job title as director of the Department of Public Safety.

Last week, the superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol was named interim director of the safety department when the governor announced he was parting ways with Drew Juden, who was appointed last year by former Gov. Eric Greitens.

Shortly after being named interim director, Col. Karsten announced she would retire from the state patrol on Sept. 1. Parson told reporters Monday that Karsten will be “an incredible addition” to his cabinet when it comes to dealing with Missouri’s crime rate.

“I have all the confidence in the world that she’s going to be able to run that agency and take it to another level,” he said. “We look for that every day – how do we get better at all Cabinet positions – this is one that I’m very confident the colonel will be able to handle.”

Although Karsten will take over as public safety director on Saturday, she will still have to undergo Senate confirmation next year.

She takes over an agency that oversees the Highway Patrol along with the Missouri National Guard, the State Emergency Management Agency, the Divison of Fire Safety, the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, the Missouri Capitol Police, the Missouri Gaming Commission, and the Missouri Veterans Commission.

“Our commitment must be to work together as a team, to work smarter, to include more voices in our discussions, and to listen, to be willing to question if there’s a better way to serve than what we’ve done in the past,” she said. “When we do those things, I’m convinced we can make Missouri safer and more secure.”

Parson added that Karsten will take a leading role in helping combat gun violence in St. Louis and Kansas City.

“Probably one of the first things I’ll ask her to do is to be building those relationships to see what those issues are, and see if there’s ways that we can help,” he said. “I’ve been pretty open all along that I’m a very strong supporter of the Second Amendment, but I also realize at times if there’s ways we can do things better, then I’ll look at that.”

Karsten joined the Highway Patrol in Sept. 1985 and began work as a road trooper in Callaway and Audrain counties. In 1996, she was assigned to the Field Operations Bureau at the patrol’s headquarters in Jefferson City and later served as human resources director and commander of the administration-services bureau.

She joined the command staff in 2012 and last year took over command of the entire patrol when she was named superintendent by Greitens and later confirmed by the Missouri Senate. She was the first female commander of the patrol and will also become the first woman to head the Department of Public Safety.

Follow Marshall on Twitter: @MarshallGReport

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Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.