Commander of Support Operations
Lt. Col. Ryan Cousins entered the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Academy in 1995 and has served the citizens of the City of St. Louis for over 28 years.
Lt. Col. Cousins has served as a patrolman in the 6th District, as well as a detective in the Vice-Narcotics Division, the Crime Suppression Unit, and the 6th District Bureau, before being promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2008. As a Sergeant, Lt. Col. Cousins supervised district officers and detectives in the North Patrol Special Operations Unit. In 2010, Lt. Col. Cousins was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant where he served as a 6th and 8th District Lieutenant, as well as the Commander of the South Patrol Special Operations and Rapid Deployment Unit.
Lt. Col. Cousins was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2015 served as the 3rd and 6th District Commander. In September of 2020, Lt. Col. Cousins was promoted to the rank of Major and served as the Commander of the South Patrol Division, Deputy Commander of the Bureau of Community Policing, Commander of the Bureau of Investigative Services and served as Acting Colonel over the Bureau of Operations until he was promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel in November of 2023. He currently serves as the Commander of the Bureau of Support Operations.
Throughout his tenure with the Police Department, Lt. Col. Cousins has prioritized meaningful community engagement and servant leadership, as key principles in building public trust and keeping our communities safe. As Commander of Support Operations, Lt. Col. Cousins is looking forward to implementing programs that will improve the 911 service to our citizens and create a positive work culture where employees are valued and rewarded for their dedicated service.
Lt. Col. Cousins has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Central Missouri State as well as a Masters’ of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University