JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A retired Missouri highway patrol turned state Representative is switching gears to serve in the executive branch.
Rep. Don Phillips has resigned his seat in the Missouri House to receive an appointment from Gov. Mike Parson to serve on the Missouri Probation and Parole Board.
“Having chaired the committee on crime prevention and public safety, and given his background in law enforcement, Don will bring the experience and knowledge to effectively serve on this board,” said Parson. “His career has been defined by his public service. Don being in this position will be beneficial to strengthening our criminal justice system and improving the lives of all Missourians.”
First elected to the House in 2010, Phillips chaired the committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety as well as sitting on the Joint Committee on the Justice System. He also was a member of the Special Investigative Committee on Oversight which investigated allegations against then-Gov. Eric Greitens.
Before seeking elected office, Phillips spent 28 years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol before retiring on June 1, 2006, with the rank of Sergeant.
Phillips appointment will fill one of two vacant positions on the Missouri Probation and Parole Board. Members of the board, who are appointed to six year terms, consider roughly 9,000 parole hearings a year all across the state.
With the appointment from Parson, Philips joins the board, but will still need the consent of the Senate in the coming legislative session.
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
