This past week, CMT highlighted in our eblast that only a few months ago, Metro brought on board a new Chief of the Department of Public Safety, Richard Zott. Mr. Zott hails from New Jersey and after his college years, spent sixteen years with the U.S. Air Force. He was the commander of a 500 person squadron while in the Air Force and co-wrote of one of the first Special Weapons and Tactics policy manuals for the Air Force Security Police.
He then served as a deputy sheriff from 1986—1987 in the patrol division of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Littleton, Colorado. In 1987, Mr. Zott became a special agent with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Inspector General. His initial assignment was in the Chicago Field Office where, in addition to his investigative and law enforcement responsibilities, he was a firearms and tactics instructor and technical services agent responsible for providing technical support to the agents assigned in Chicago. In 1996, Mr. Zott became the Resident Agent in Charge of the DCIS New Orleans office, and in 1998, was selected to be the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Central Field Office in St. Louis, MO. In March, 2000, Mr. Zott was promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Central Field Office.
During his tenure as the Special Agent in Charge, his office conducted thousands of investigations and numerous undercover operations that resulted in 421 felony arrests, 1120 criminal/civil charges, and monetary recoveries of $2.3 billion. He has received numerous awards from the Department of Defense to include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the Superior Civilian Service Award for service in Iraq. Metro is thrilled to welcome Mr. Zott to their team here in St. Louis.