The Colonel

Col. Ken Hunter - Interim Director

Interim Director, Arizona Department of Public Safety

On January 7th Col. Ken Hunter became the Interim Director for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. In March of 2020, Director Heston Silbert selected Lieutenant Colonel Ken Hunter to serve as the Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS). Prior to this appointment, Lt. Colonel Hunter was serving in the appointed position of Assistant Director of the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, commanding the Intelligence, Investigations, and Gang Enforcement Bureaus. Lt. Colonel Hunter also previously held the appointed position of Assistant Director of the Agency Support Division, directing the Logistics and Management Services Bureaus, as well as the Human Resources Section. These bureaus exist to support the mission critical units of AZ DPS such as Recruiting, Training, Finance, Public Records, Fleet, Aviation, and Peer Support, to name just a few.

Lt. Colonel Hunter began his career as a trooper with the AZ DPS in September of 1989 and was assigned to the Highway Patrol Division in Winslow, Arizona. As a trooper he completed assignments in motors, commercial vehicle enforcement and as a detective assigned to gang enforcement.

Lt. Colonel Hunter promoted to sergeant and was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. He supervised a gang enforcement squad in southern Arizona responsible for documenting and investigating criminal street gangs and transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, he held supervisory assignments at the Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy and the Internal Affairs Unit.

After promoting to captain, he was assigned to the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area where he facilitated, supported and enhanced collaborative drug control efforts among law enforcement agencies. He also held command assignments in the Southern Gang Enforcement District, the Southern Commercial Vehicle District, and Canine District.

Lt. Colonel Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Grand Canyon University. He is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police, Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the Leadership in Police Organizations Command program.