DPS Releases Investigation and Findings

On January 24th, 2017, the Department of Public Safety was involved in an incident and subsequent pursuit of Bradley Burton Moore. At the time, DPS Director Colonel Frank Milstead, stated that a “thorough investigation” would be completed and that the Department was “committed to full transparency to make clear that actions of all employees are reviewed and appropriately addressed.”
 

That investigation and review, called a Critical Incident Review, has been completed and the recommendations accepted by Colonel Milstead. Each employee’s actions during the incident and subsequent pursuit were reviewed for reasonableness as consistent with policy.  Overall, it was determined that “DPS employees were involved in a fluid, dynamic situation to apprehend what was believed to be a dangerous and violent suspect, who had committed numerous felony crimes prior to the incident and while the incident was occurring.” Additionally, it was found that “several unusual factors presented challenges to those involved” and the reviewer found “no evidence to suggest that any involved employee acted outside the Department’s mission, values and code of ethics while the incident was transpiring.”

Ultimately, most of the involved employees’ actions, including the Deputy Director, were deemed reasonable due to the fact that they either fell within policy or the employee justified their deviation from policy. For the few employees whose actions were deemed not reasonable, it has been determined that training and review of policy is the most appropriate action to be taken to improve operations in the future.