DPS Team Members of the Month
March Sworn Team Members of the Month
Trey A. Gaedke
Justin D. Hedrick
Troopers
Missouri State Highway Patrol
March Non-Sworn Team Member of the Month
Anna Sprous
Restorative Aide
Missouri Veterans Commission
Trey A. Gaedke and Justin D. Hedrick, Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers in Troop C, are the DPS Sworn Team Members of the Month for March 2025 for their bravery and skill in ending the threat posed by a dangerous felon fleeing the state of Texas.
In September, the Highway Patrol received information a suspect from Texas was likely traveling to Missouri with a woman he had accosted. A license plate reader confirmed his vehicle was on Interstate 44 and approaching the St. Louis area. Trey located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop but the vehicle fled the scene. Trey and Justin then pursued the vehicle, which exited the interstate, traveling on local streets before rolling over, with no other vehicle involved.
Following the crash, the driver opened the vehicle door and produced a handgun. Trey and Justin ordered him to drop the gun, but he refused. Trey and Justin exchanged gunfire with the man, who died at the scene. The woman was located deceased in the vehicle; further investigation revealed the gunman had killed her several hours earlier.
Trey and Justin acted courageously and ended a highly dangerous situation, without any innocent members of the public being hurt. Their actions that day were in keeping with the finest traditions of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Anna Sprous, a Restorative Aide at the Missouri Veterans Home in St. Louis, is the DPS Non-Sworn Team Member of the Month for March 2025 for her incredible productivity, willingness to support other team members and the individualized attention she gives veterans in the home.
Anna works so efficiently that she recently completed all the restorative therapy sessions in her wing and then took on all the other sessions for the entire home. She then weighed every veteran in the building for their required monthly charts, though that is not one of her assigned duties.
When other team members were busy with a week-long survey conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Anna helped by transporting veterans to and from their doctor appointments outside the home. She regularly assists the home’s certified nursing assistants. Anna is such a compassionate caregiver that veterans frequently ask for her by name and she never turns them down!
She is an invaluable part of the functioning and positive environment of the St. Louis home.
Congratulations to all the Team Members of the Month! You have set an outstanding example for your co-workers throughout the Department of Public Safety.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety. Many Missions. One Team.