Cyber Crime Task Force leader retiring after decades of service

JOPLIN, Mo. — The head of a southwest Missouri task force is retiring.

He's got hundreds of cyber crime arrests to his credit, affecting thousands of victims here and around the world.

"The task force wasn't in existence at that time, it was just me," said Chip Root, supv. SWMO cyber crimes task force.

That was 2008.

It didn't take long for Chip Root to realize he needed help investigating crime online - leading to the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.

"A total of four counties, Jasper, McDonald, see, it was Barry. And Newton," said Root.

That's grown to 22 counties. It's now been 11 years since Root was named officer in charge of the task force, building impressive numbers during that time.

4,256 cases closed. 880 southwest Missouri suspects arrested.

"Rescued 717 local southwest Missouri child victims. Additionally, we have identified. We know them by name. There are almost 162,000 children that were victimized from all around the world," said Root.

Root started in law enforcement 30 years ago at the Girard Police Department.

He would also work at Galena PD before moving to the Joplin Police Force and cyber crime investigation.

"Initially, we were almost 100% proactive in working undercover. We would do peer-to-peer investigations," said Root.

Now they're tied into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and carry federal law enforcement credentials.

"Worked cases all over the globe. I mean, from Germany, Italy, Africa, Israel, Russia," said Root.

He's retiring to take his career in a new direction, as the chief deputy of Cherokee County.