CARSON KELLEY OF UNIVERSITY TO HEAD MAJOR CASE SQUAD

The new commander of the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County Major Case Squad is Carson Kelley, assistant director of public safety at Southeast Missouri State University. He takes over the squad Sept. 19.

"It's not a real big shock," said Kelley, "but I didn't know for sure that this was going to happen."

Kelley, 38, is no stranger to Southeast Missouri law enforcement. He received a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State in 1978. He has served as an officer for the Cape Girardeau Police Department and Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department. He also has served as director of security at Procter & Gamble and Southeast Missouri Hospital. He has been employed by the university's police department since 1988.

"He's a good man and a good investigator," said Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Leonard Hines. "He will do a great job as commander."

Kelley replaces Lt. John Jordan of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department. Jordan is stepping down to campaign for sheriff. Kelley's appointment was unanimously approved by the squad's board of directors Wednesday.

"This was John Jordan's suggestion, " said Morley Swingle, a Major Case Squad board member and prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County. "He came to us and wanted to step down and he wanted Carson Kelley to replace him."

Jordan is the Republican candidate for Cape Girardeau County Sheriff. He notified the sheriff's department of his leave of absence Thursday. The election is Nov. 8.

Kelley takes over an organization with a successful history in solving major crimes. In its 11 years, one homicide has gone unsolved. The squad has been activated more than 10 times.

The Major Case Squad is made up of law enforcement officers from the Bollinger County and Cape Girardeau County sheriff's departments; the Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and university police departments, and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Its sole purpose is to provide widespread investigations that are often essential in solving major crimes.