The chief of the Minnesota State Patrol is moving on to a new role, the agency announced Wednesday.

Col. Matt Langer worked for the State Patrol for nearly 25 years and, after climbing through the ranks, has been in charge for the past decade.

He’s leaving to become the International Association of Chiefs of Police director of global policing. His last day will be April 2 and Lt. Col. Christina Bogojevic will serve as interim chief.

Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson will immediately begin the process to name a new colonel.

“Col. Langer embodies what we expect and need from a law enforcement leader,” Jacobson said in a statement. “He has always put people first, whether it’s the members of the State Patrol or families who are facing their worst day and grieving the loss of a loved one.”

The State Patrol said Langer’s accomplishments include:

Advocating for passage of the state’s hand-free cell phone bill in 2019.
Growing an internal peer support team.
Reestablishing a chaplaincy program.
Signing a pledge to increase the number of female troopers and support staff to 30 percent by 2030.
Focusing enforcement efforts on preventing driving behaviors that cause fatal crashes. Minnesota roads are now the the third-safest in the nation.

Langer said he’s proudest of troopers’ daily work to keep roads safe.

“Beginning my career with the State Patrol was an easy decision — deciding to leave has been the opposite,” Langer said. “… Our greatest asset is the people within our organization and the millions of Minnesotans who support us in our work.”

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