The Kansas Highway Patrol will have a new leader in the next few months.
Superintendent Herman Jones, a one-time officer for Emporia Police and Emporia State Police and Safety, has agreed to retire effective July 1 after more than 45 years in law enforcement. Jones is an Emporia State graduate and Distinguished Alum, also serving as a Highway Patrol trooper and Shawnee County sheriff earlier in his career. He became Highway Patrol superintendent in 2019 after the top two officers resigned under pressure following allegations of domestic violence and other misconduct, but Jones was eventually accused by the Kansas State Troopers Association of wrongful firings and low morale — and by others within the department of retaliation or sexual assault.
Also announcing his retirement Wednesday was Adjutant General David Weishaar, who was appointed nearly two years ago after the departure of Lee Tafanelli. Besides leading the Kansas National Guard, he was also Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s Homeland Security advisor and director of the state’s Emergency Management department.
Kelly has already picked Brigadier General Michael Vernerdi to be Adjutant General. She has not made a similar move yet with the Highway Patrol.
