Commissioner Sean Tindell has announced the appointment of Baxter Kruger to Director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.

Kruger is the son of Dr. Baxter Kruger and Mrs. Beth Weldy Kruger of Brandon and the grandson of the late Brigadier General Donald Glenn Kruger and Mrs. Betty Farr Kruger of Prentiss.

Prior to joining the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Kruger served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Southern District of Mississippi, Criminal Division. In this role, he prosecuted a variety of criminal matters ranging from violent crimes to white-collar crimes. Kruger continues to serve as a Judge Advocate for the Mississippi Army National Guard. As a soldier, Kruger served in combat arms and as an attorney, deploying to the Middle East with the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team and serving domestically as part of the COVID- 19 Task Force.

“I have enjoyed working hard to protect Mississippians in the past and am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of Mississippi as the Director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security,” said Kruger. The office will continue to develop and enhance state-level planning, preparation, response to, recovery from and mitigation of threats and hazards to our way of life.”

Kruger earned his J.D. in 2015 from Mississippi College School of Law and B.A. in 2010 from the University of Mississippi. He received extensive legal training in federal criminal practice at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and in military law practice at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is licensed to practice in all Mississippi courts, including the Southern District Court of Mississippi, the Northern District Court of Mississippi, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Director Kruger’s background, including his extensive legal and military experience, makes him an excellent addition to the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Under the leadership of Director Kruger, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security will continue to partner with state, local, and federal personnel to support the mission of protecting the citizens and resources of our state.”

Kruger resides in Jackson with his wife, Emily, and son Jeb.