Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeffery R. Kinder has retired after 27 years of service.
Kinder’s retirement was effective April 1. He was appointed to the Patrol on July 1, 1994, as a member of the 67th Recruit Class. After graduating from the Patrol Academy, he was assigned to Troop G, Zone 6, Southern Howell and Oregon counties.
In 2002, Kinder was promoted to corporal and designated assistant zone supervisor of Zone 2, Texas County. In 2007, he was promoted to sergeant and designated zone supervisor of Zone 7, Southern Howell and Oregon counties. A short time later, he transferred to Zone 8, Texas County, where he was the zone supervisor.
In 2014, Kinder was assigned as the public information and education officer for Troop G. It is from this assignment that he retired.
Kinder handled numerous notable assignments during his career, including several Missouri State Fairs, governor inaugurations, a presidential detail, the Tyrone mass murders case and the Ferguson (Mo.) detail. For most of his career, he was a crisis negotiator for Troop G.
Kinder is a native of Licking and graduated from Licking High School. He holds an Associate of Science in criminal justice from Columbia College and attended basic police training at the University of Missouri Law Enforcement Training Institute in Columbia.
Kinder and his wife, Kelly, have two children and five grandchildren.