KC Reporter

Governor Mike Parson has announced the upcoming retirement of Sandra (Sandy) Karsten, the Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Karsten will step down at the end of Governor Parson's term on January 13, 2025.

"Director Karsten has dedicated her entire public service career to law enforcement, public safety, and good governance. Our communities across the state are better off today having benefitted from her service," stated Governor Parson. He further praised her for her response to various challenges, including fighting crime and managing a global pandemic. "It has been an absolute honor for Teresa and me to work alongside her with her unmatched professionalism and integrity."

Reflecting on her career, Director Karsten expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve Missouri for over 39 years. “I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with dedicated and committed professionals at the Highway Patrol, the Department of Public Safety, and with our public safety partners across the state," she said.

Karsten was appointed as DPS's 15th director by Governor Parson on August 27, 2018. Before this role, she served in the Missouri State Highway Patrol for 33 years and achieved several historic firsts as a woman in leadership positions within the organization.

During her tenure as DPS Director, Karsten collaborated with Governor Parson on initiatives such as developing the Missouri Blue Scholarship and enhancing information sharing through reorganizing MoDEx. She also reformed DPS’s grants program to streamline processes for local grant recipients.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Karsten led efforts to expand MO DMAT-1 into a fully-equipped medical unit capable of rapid deployment. Additionally, she worked with Lincoln University to establish a law enforcement training academy at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

Karsten's contributions have left a lasting impact on Missouri's public safety landscape.