The Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced the impending retirement of a graduate of an area high school.
A release from the highway patrol says Captain Vernon C. Dougan, director of the Communications Division at General Headquarters in Jefferson City, will retire after more than 28 years of service. It will become effective August 1, 2018.
Dougan, a 1979 graduate of Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, joined the Patrol on January 1, 1990, as a member of the 62nd Recruit Class. After graduating from the Patrol’s Law-Enforcement Academy, he was assigned to Troop A– Zone 14– in Pettis County. He was promoted to corporal on March 1, 1995, and was designated assistant zone supervisor of Zone 4 in Clay County. He was promoted to sergeant on March 1, 2000, and designated zone supervisor of Zone 7 in Jackson County. Dougan was promoted to lieutenant on May 1, 2003, and transferred to Troop F Headquarters in Jefferson City. He transferred to the Information and Communications Technology Division at General Headquarters on September 7, 2011. He was promoted to captain and designated director of that division on May 1, 2013. On October 1, 2016, he was designated director of the Communications Division.