The Director of Public Safety (DPS) filed a petition on Nov. 13 with the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC) to have former Doolittle police chief Carl Swanson’s peace officer license revoked. This comes after charges were filed on Nov. 6, alleging that Swanson is responsible for the injuries his two-year-old child sustained in 2022, which ultimately led to his death. 

The complaint against Swanson’s license was filed on Nov. 13 by the Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.  According to Section 590 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo.), Chapter 621 and Title 11 of the Missouri Code of State Regulations, the director has the authority to issue, suspend or revoke peace officer licenses. Swanson is licensed as a peace officer by the Department of Public Safety, and he was previously issued a Class A license. 

According to Revised Statutes of Missouri Section 590.080.3, “when the Director knows cause to discipline a peace officer, he may file a complaint with the Administrative Hearing Commission, as provided by Chapter 621.” Section 590.080 also reaffirms that the director has cause to discipline any peace officer licensee who has committed any criminal offense, whether or not a criminal charge has been filed. 

Swanson was last commissioned with the Newberg Police Department until Nov. 6, when he was terminated. That same day, the Phelps County prosecutor charged Swanson with first-degree child molestation, second-degree statutory rape and second-degree statutory sodomy in a second case. These charges come after new details emerged regarding the 2022 incident that would lead to the death of the two-year-old, including how Swanson was involved in sexual activity with a 19-year-old in his household, leaving his youngest child unsupervised. The woman alleged the abuse began in 2016 when she was 13-years-old, and would occur in Swanson’s office at the Doolittle Police Department, where he was serving as the chief of police.

AHC acts as a court for DPS, where a commissioner is assigned to serve as an impartial administrative-law judge who decides the outcome of the case. Swanson and Assistant Attorney General David Hansen were sent notices outlining the process. Hansen represents DPS in the allegations. Swanson has 30 days to respond from receipt of the petition. His answer should state that he admits, denies, or has insufficient knowledge to admit or deny each statement of fact in the complaint.

If he does not respond to the complaint, the Commission may conclude that he agrees the facts alleged in the complaint are true and issue a decision against him.

A 15-minute status hearing is scheduled via WebEx3 videoconferencing for 10:45 a.m. on  March 6, 2026, with mandatory attendance. Anyone can view the procedures either via WebEx at https://stateofmo.webex.com/meet/carole.iles, meeting number: 2633 892 2340; by video address: carole.iles@stateofmo.webex.com or dial 173.243.2.68 and enter the meeting number. Call-in at 1-650-479-3207 (U.S./Canada), access code: 2633 892 2340.

Failure for Swanson to participate in the status hearing may result in dismissal of the case or other appropriate sanction.

An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on May 28, 2026, with each case called from a docket. Parties are granted four hours for the evidentiary hearing to be heard, though more time may be requested.

Previously, on Sept. 16, Swanson was charged with one felony count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child — serious physical injury, in relation to the death of his son, who died on July 10, 2024, in St. James. According to court documents, the child died from the injuries he sustained on Oct. 16, 2022, when he was only two years old. 

The child was found floating face-up in an above-ground pool in the backyard. The pool was filled with water approximately 36 inches deep. First responders located a pulse, but the child wasn’t breathing. He was then flown to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, dying from complications related to the incident on July 10, 2024. It was later determined that the child exited through a back door that was not completely shut after someone had let a dog back inside. 

According to the Sept. 15 probable cause statement, new information was received, which reopened the case. A witness contacted law enforcement, reporting that a female subject she spoke with had told her that she had sex with Swanson on the day that the child fell in the pool, and she felt responsible for the death. The witness believed that the female subject was either a sibling or a woman who had lived with the family since she was 13-years-old. 

When the female subject was interviewed at the sheriff’s department, she confirmed that it was true that she and Swanson had sex that day, leaving the two-year-old unattended for approximately 30 minutes while the sexual activity took place. Afterwards, Swanson played video games and was not initially made aware of his son falling into the pool. The subject’s statement contradicts Swanson’s report from Oct. 16, 2022, that the child was only unaccounted for about three to five minutes. 

The victim told investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol that she began living with Swanson when she was around 13-years-old. The Swansons allegedly had power of attorney for her starting in September 2016, giving Carl Swanson parental responsibility over her.

Within the first year of living with Swanson, he began his sexual abuse. She told investigators that the abuse ramped up around the time that she turned 15, with over 200 sexual encounters. To cover for the abuse, she said Swanson would give her certain things she asked for. She also told investigators that she and Swanson had sexual encounters in his office at the Doolittle Police Department. It is unclear whether these encounters happened while the victim was a minor or an adult. 

Investigators also said they found nude photos of the victim taken inside the garage at the Doolittle Police Department, in which Swanson can be seen in reflections of the pictures. These pictures were taken in September 2023. 

Later on, after the victim’s initial interview with investigators, she came into their headquarters with a wooden plaque engraved with Swanson and the victim’s initials inside a heart with a date. The victim said Swanson gave her the plaque in 2022, with the date recognizing the first time they had sex.

The statement continues to quote the female subject as saying Swanson admitted to her that the two-year-old was under his care and that he should’ve been paying closer attention. He allegedly also said to tell people that he had either just gotten home from work or was just leaving for work. 

The statement concludes by noting Swanson is considered a danger to the community because an order of protection accuses him of sexually abusing a victim as young as 13-years-old.

An Ex Parte Order of Protection filed on April 28 in an adult abuse case was approved for one year, with Swanson agreeing to the terms, in Judge Mark D. Calvert’s Phelps County Court. Swanson’s bond was met at $100,000 after the initial charges were filed in the first case on Sept. 16, and his bond was also met at $250,000 in relation to the Nov. 6 charges.

Stemming from the Sept. 16 charges of endangering the welfare of a child - 1st degree - serious physical injury - no sexual conduct, Swanson is due to appear at 9 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2026, in Judge William Earl Hickle’s Phelps County 25th Circuit Court. 

Stemming from the Nov. 6 charges of child molestation - 1st degree, a class B felony; statutory rape - 2nd degree, a class C felony; and statutory sodomy - 2nd degree, a class C felony, Swanson is due to appear at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 9, in Judge Kenneth Gordon Clayton’s Phelps County 25th Circuit Court.