Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol, has announced the upcoming retirement of Captain Jason M. Pace, who currently serves as the director of the Recruiting & Community Outreach Division at the General Headquarters in Jefferson City, MO. He is set to retire on May 1, 2024. His retirement will mark the conclusion of a career spanning over 26 years of committed service.
Captain Pace embarked on his journey with the Patrol on July 1, 1997, as part of the 74th Recruit Class. His initial assignment post-academy training was in Troop I, based in Laclede County. His dedication and skillset saw him transfer to Troop D in Springfield, Zone 1, Greene County, in January 2001. In 2004, Pace undertook the role of a full-time recruiter, a position that had him overseeing recruitment activities across four troops. The following year, he was promoted to corporal, a rank he retained while continuing his recruitment duties.
Significant milestones in Pace’s career included his promotion to sergeant on December 1, 2008, where he remained a pivotal figure in recruitment. His role expanded on May 1, 2011, when he became a public information and education officer for Troop D. His leadership qualities and effective management led to his promotion to lieutenant on June 1, 2019, making him the assistant director of the Recruiting & Community Outreach Division. His expertise and dedication were further recognized on August 1, 2022, when he was promoted to captain and took on the role of director for the division.
Beyond his professional achievements, Captain Pace has a rich personal and educational background. Born in Rolla, MO, he is a 1989 graduate of Houston High School in Houston, MO. He pursued higher education at Harding University in Searcy, AR, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1993. Furthering his education, he obtained a Master of Public Administration from Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, in 1995. Captain Pace also completed Leadership in Police Organizations training in Jefferson City in 2015. He shares his life with his wife, Jennifer (Decker), and their three children, Blake, Brooke, and Blair, along with two grandchildren.
