PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Heston Silbert announced his retirement, effective Friday, Jan. 6.
In a press release Tuesday, Sibert said, "It has been an honor of a lifetime to have served the men and women of the Department of Public Safety and the citizens of this great state. As Director, I observed firsthand the selflessness, dedication, and bravery of our Arizona State Troopers and professional staff."
Silbert went on to thank Governor Ducey for his support during his tenure.
It will be up to newly sworn-in Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs to decide on Silbert’s replacement.
Silbert said he received a call from Hobbs’ staff on Monday informing him that she would not retain him.
“I understand the process and wish nothing but the best for Governor Hobbs and her team,” Silbert said Tuesday.
Silbert took over the director position in 2020, taking over for Col. Frank Milstead. Before his promotion, he had been deputy director since 2015.
According to the department's website, Silbert joined the department after he retired from the Mesa Police Department, where he served as executive officer, assistant chief of police for the operations bureau and commander.
Before that, he served with the Phoenix Police Department for 22 years.
But Silbert has not been exempt from controversy.
He was investigated after he initiated a high-speed chase after witnessing the theft of a utility truck in Gilbert back in 2017.
Silbert, who was off duty during the chase, did not have a police radio and had no way to communicate with the officers involved in the chase.
Radio traffic showed other officers tried to get Silbert to stop chasing the suspect.
"If anyone can get hold of this guy to please give [the suspect] some room and let him back off," one officer radioed.
Officers appeared to be trying to get the suspect to stop running on his own and wanted officers to stay out of sight.
The suspect, 29-year-old Bradley Moore, was driving on Interstate 17 toward Camp Verde when his truck ran through a guardrail and rolled 400 feet into a canyon.
Moore was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
His family later pursued a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
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