2024 40 Under 40: Brandon Keene

When Brandon Keene, 34, arrived in Springfield as a young adult, he had $600 and a pickup truck, and the city quickly became a place of personal and professional fulfillment, through his work at the Springfield Police Department.

While working as treasurer and insurance administrator of the Springfield Police Officers’ Association, 2014-20, he successfully negotiated a collective bargaining contract and spearheaded fundraising efforts, leading to the acquisition of a new lodge. As a crisis/hostage negotiator since 2020 and a Special Victims Unit sergeant, he’s helped de-escalate critical situations and developed a comprehensive training program for his team.

Keene also founded Angel’s Safe House, a nonprofit providing immediate support to victims of violent crime, earning him SPD’s Mark K. Priebe Community Service Award in 2023.

What about your job would shock people? Everything! I oversee the Special Victims Unit, which is responsible for investigating adult sex crimes, elder abuse and missing children.

Best celebrity meeting/sighting story? When Kiss came to town, I was assigned to the escort detail for Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. After the show, we arrived at an undisclosed destination, Paul took a moment to thank me. It was a simple gesture that was not expected but very much appreciated.

Favorite local food order? Greek Belly’s The Kraken with baklava.