JEFFERSON CITY - Col. Sandra K. Karsten, superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol, has created the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach within the Patrol.
Thursday, the office will be established and placed under the direction of Assistant Superintendent Eric T. Olson. The office will be in the Wainwright Office Building in St. Louis.
Capt. Ronald S. Johnson has been designated as director of the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach. The new office will focus on cultivating and enhancing partnerships with Missourians, community groups, and organizations across the state that may not frequently interact with the Patrol.
He will engage community members and professionals to develop solutions to challenging social issues and will assist in connecting community members with resources.
Johnson has distinguished himself as a national expert in cultivating community relations with law enforcement. He is frequently asked to present on best practices for community engagement and outreach, and he has spent many years teaching and mentoring various groups across the country on relationship building.
He has received multiple state and national awards for his work, including Ebony Power 100's Community Crusader Award 2014, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, the St. Louis County NAACP Rosa Park's Citizenship Award in 2015, the St. Louis Celebrity Seniors' Helping Hand Reducing Street Violence Award, the Historical Society of St. Louis County's Community Service Award in 2014, Missouri State University's Statewide Diversity Champion Award 2015, and the Missouri Community College Association's 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award.
"Capt. Johnson's skills and abilities in creating impactful partnerships make him a tremendous asset," said Karsten. "A highly sought-after expert in this area, we are excited for what he will accomplish as the founding director of this new office."