Operation Relentless Pursuit
From day one, Governor Mike Kehoe made clear that Missouri would prioritize public safety.
He led the charge to return the St. Louis Municipal Police Department to citizen board control.
He stepped up to defend ICE.
He launched the highly successful Blue Shield Program.
Among the programs launched at his direction was Operation Relentless Pursuit, a statewide, intelligence-led effort to locate and arrest fugitives with felony warrants.
Missouri needed it.
The Problem: Too Many Active Warrants
The order cities more than 17,600 active felony arrest warrants at the time of signing.
That’s not just a massive administrative problem, it’s a public safety problem.
Operation Relentless Pursuit brought together the Missouri Information Analysis Center, the Department of Public Safety, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, sheriffs, and the U.S. Marshals Service in one coordinated effort to track down fugitives with felony warrants.
The operation was structured around full-time Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control investigators in each of the nine troop regions. Those investigators were tasked with serving as liaisons, coordinating manpower and resources, and helping multi-agency task forces work together across the state.
Importantly, Missouri backed that plan with real support.
The state’s budget priorities included $1,250,000 for Operation Relentless Pursuit, with grants to support one deputy sheriff in each of the nine Highway Patrol troops to coordinate with local law enforcement and help take dangerous individuals with active felony warrants off Missouri streets.
Supporting the police means giving law enforcement the structure, manpower, and coordination to do the job.
Operation Relentless Pursuit training with @USMarshalsHQ began today for @MSHPTrooperGHQ & sheriffs' deputies from all Patrol troops. ORP – 1 of @GovMikeKehoe's Safer Missouri initiatives – is an anti-crime effort using intelligence-led policing to catch dangerous fugitive felons pic.twitter.com/XF73dC5jPj
— MO Public Safety (@MoPublicSafety) March 31, 2025
The Results Are Real
In its first four weeks of operations, ORP arrested or assisted in the arrest of 148 fugitives wanted for outstanding felony warrants. Those arrests cleared 251 outstanding warrants. The state said the cases included suspects wanted for crimes like rape, kidnapping, sex trafficking of a child, child sexual misconduct, drug trafficking, assault, burglary, felony stealing, and weapons offenses.
That was just the start.
By May 2025, they had filled out the nine regional ORP teams made up of a Highway Patrol officer and a local deputy sheriff in each patrol troop, with participation from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, at least 24 sheriffs’ offices, at least 11 police departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
A year later, the numbers were even stronger.
In its first year of operations, ORP officers arrested or assisted in the arrest of 1,585 fugitives wanted for outstanding felony warrants. Those arrests cleared 2,699 outstanding warrants across 83 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis. The total included individuals arrested in connection with 26 murder or homicide charges.
ORP officers also seized 119 illegally possessed guns.
We launched Operation Relentless Pursuit last year because Missourians in cities, suburbs, and small towns want action taken to reduce crime.
— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) April 10, 2026
ORP officers hit the ground running and have made an incredible impact because of the relentless work of the Missouri State Highway… pic.twitter.com/zPyhbWV39b
The Lesson of Operation Relentless Pursuit
The lesson here is simple.
When state leaders back law enforcement, law enforcement can do more.
When agencies share intelligence, coordinate across jurisdictions, and get real support, dangerous fugitives have fewer places to hide.
Just a decision to take public safety seriously and a plan to follow through.
The Kehoe administration for put public safety first and delivered a concrete win for law enforcement.
Missouri should keep going.
If Operation Relentless Pursuit is helping clear warrants, arrest fugitives, and take dangerous offenders off the street, then the answer is not to back down.
The answer is to keep standing with the officers, deputies, and investigators doing the work to keep Missouri safe.
Fully fund the program and continue to support our brave law enforcement officers.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA