Five Questions: Kevin Routh

Q: How did you get into law enforcement?

A: A police officer was parked in our neighborhood, and I started talking to him. He … sparked my interest in law enforcement. I started with the Springfield Police Department in the cadet youth program, when I was 16 years old, as a volunteer. The youth program is basically an avenue for teenagers to become involved in a program to see if law enforcement is a career path they want to follow. Being afforded the opportunity to come in and volunteer, and being exposed to law enforcement all through my teenage years, really created a desire to work in the police field.

Q: What are your new job duties?

A: I supervise the criminal investigations division, which is responsible for all the investigators in the Springfield Police Department. There’s the property unit, the violent crimes unit, the persons unit, the fraud unit and the narcotics unit and the special investigations unit. There are about 60 detectives working various types of investigations, and I’m responsible for the supervision and direction of the entire division.

Q: What is the biggest crime issue area businesses face?

A: Fraud has increased significantly, and online fraud has gone through the ceiling. One of our biggest challenges is trying to stay ahead of that technology. The fraud numbers far exceed losses we see committed in property crimes. Businesses lose millions each year, because it’s so much easier now for someone to commit a crime over the Internet, and they can commit numerous crimes sitting at home.

Q: What can businesses do to help the police be more effective at their job?

A: Business records are something we always seem to run into a problem with – many businesses aren’t accurately tracking financial transactions. Some companies do an excellent job of tracking financial information, but unfortunately we still have some companies where, for example, if someone comes in and uses a credit card, they don’t ask for further identification. A lot of times we’ll have individuals pass (stolen) credit cards or bad checks at businesses. To keep from being victimized, businesses have to go that extra step and confirm who they’re dealing with.

Q: Tell me about your hobbies.

A: One of my passions is running and biking, and I like to be involved in adventure races, especially the Ozark Greenways races each year. Adventure races are a good opportunity to work in a team environment and try to accomplish a goal.

Interview by Jeremy Elwood.[[In-content Ad]]