After three decades, Col. Matt Langer is hanging up his maroon and gold uniform for an international role. The State Patrol's chief, who rode from the rank of trooper to the top, is stepping down. Col. Langer's journey began with a single ride-along that sparked his dedication to a career in traffic safety, leading him to graduate from the 1999 academy, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Langer became acting chief in 2014, and, took the chief's reins the following year. In his parting statement, Langer expressed the importance of his tenure, "It is safe to say I quickly fell in love with the organization and discovered a deep passion for our mission of traffic safety and what we stand for," said Langer. But his pride rests with the role of state trooper, a title he deemed his greatest accomplishment.
Despite his departure, Langer leaves a strong legacy. Under his watch, Minnesota's roads became the third-safest in the nation, partly thanks to his work advocating for the 2019 hands-free bill. He also expanded peer support within the patrol and revived its chaplaincy program, all the while striving to increase diversity, committing to a pledge to boost the number of female troopers and support staff to 30 percent by 2030, as mentioned by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
His next stint will be with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as their director of global policing, where he aims to continue impacting traffic safety and policing on a broader scale. "I am truly impressed with the work our employees do every day and am honored to have been able, to lead them for the past 10 years," Langer said. Langer's exit comes today, with Lt. Col. Christina Bogojevic stepping in as interim chief until the patrol names a new leader.
