Gov. Heineman Announces the Retirement
of State Patrol Superintendent

(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced the pending retirement of Col. Tom Nesbitt, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. Nesbitt, who has served more than 26 years with the Patrol, will retire June 3. He has held his current post for six years.

“I appreciate the many dedicated years of service Colonel Nesbitt has offered our state,” Gov. Heineman said. “His vital agency, the Nebraska State Patrol, helps ensure the safety of thousands of Nebraska residents and visitors each year. I applaud his commitment to law enforcement and to our state’s safety. I wish him well in his retirement.”

Nesbitt, a native of Fullerton, joined the Patrol in 1978 as a road trooper. He worked as a sergeant in charge of the Rural Apprehension Program Drug Task force, as a drug investigator, as a liquor violations investigator, and as a member of the Executive Protection Division. Gov. Mike Johanns appointed him Superintendent on Jan. 7, 1999.

He has overseen an agency with 705 employees, including 486 sworn law enforcement officers. The State Patrol divides its resources across six troop areas, from Omaha to Scottsbluff.

Col. Nesbitt said, “The Nebraska State Patrol is made up of hard working, dedicated individuals. I will cherish the relationships I have made throughout my 26-year career. I often talk about the Patrol as a family. Those are not just words. We would not be able to do the job we do, to put our lives on the line, if not for the support from those around us.”

Among his accomplishments, an increased emphasis since Sept. 11, 2001, on Homeland Security and event preparedness, formation of the Internet Crimes Against Children unit in January 2000, building bridges between the State Patrol and other statewide law enforcement agencies.

Col. Nesbitt, 50, is a member of the Crime Commission, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, Police Officers Association of Nebraska, the Nebraska Sheriffs Association, and the Police Chiefs Association of Nebraska.

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