DPS Employees of the Month
May Sworn Employees of the Month
Garrett Loring
Sergeant
Missouri State Highway Patrol
May Non-Sworn Employee of the Month
Gavin McKenzie
Maintenance/Grounds Technician
Missouri Veterans Commission
Sergeant Garrett Loring, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, is the May 2021 DPS Sworn Employee of the Month for his tireless investigative work that led to rescuing a child from severe abuse she had endured. Both parents face felony abuse charges.
On Sept. 1, 2020, after a local law enforcement agency requested assistance, Garrett initiated an investigation into allegations of child abuse. A five-year-old girl had been removed from her home after Missouri Children’s Division representatives found her to be extremely malnourished. Her condition was so dire she was flown by helicopter to a hospital for specialized care. The next day, Garrett attended a forensic interview of the child.
During the interview, the child said her parents routinely withheld food when she was hungry. Through witness interviews, Garrett learned the child was kept locked in a closet while the rest of the family ate meals. A babysitter informed him that the parents gave instructions to withhold food. A physician verified the child’s emaciated condition was the result of neglect.
Garrett spent countless hours investigating this horrific crime against a helpless child. After his investigation, both parents were charged with felony endangering the welfare of a child and felony abuse or neglect of a child. The child is recovering. Garrett’s commitment and dedication helped end an innocent child’s long suffering at the hands of her parents.
Gavin McKenzie, a maintenance/grounds technician for the Missouri Veterans Commission, is the DPS May 2021 Non-Sworn Employee of the Month. He was selected because of his ability to quickly take on numerous, varied leadership roles in order to provide veterans with quality care
Gavin works in the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg. Shortly after joining the Warrensburg Home, Gavin took on the role of interim warehouse supervisor. He quickly shifted gears from maintenance to construction, as he led his team in creating temporary structures for accommodating isolation and quarantine areas, and hand-holding stations so veterans could have face-to-face contact with loved ones. Drawing on previous work experience, Gavin volunteered to be the lead member of the home’s Respiratory Protection Plan and a certified N-95 respiratory mask fit-tester
Knowing the critical nature of personal protective equipment during the global pandemic, Gavin once again stepped up and took on the role of interim purchasing department leader until the position was filled in November. During his 14 months at the Missouri Veterans Home – Warrensburg, Gavin has done an outstanding job of fulfilling the Veterans Commission’s mission of providing quality, compassionate care, no matter the circumstances.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety. Many Missions. One Team.