Philip Gregory has been named to replace Capt. Jeff Vitale as the new commander of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E. Vitale recently retired after 30 years with the highway patrol. For the past nine years, Gregory supervised District III, which included DDCC units in Troop C and Troop E. The DDCC officers Gregory supervised investigated homicides, auto thefts, bank robberies, narcotics and public corruption. The division also often provides assistance to local agencies on some investigations, such as homicides. Gregory joined the highway patrol Aug. 1, 1993, as a member of the 66th Recruit Class. Gregory and his wife, Tanya, have three children and four grandchildren.
Troop E serves 13 counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne.