Detective reflects on career in cyber crimes as he retires

The cyber age was just evolving when Poplar Buff Police Detective Scott Phelps started his law enforcement career.

Phelps recalls having to hunt for a pay phone to make a call early in his profession, but the growth of cyber age would play an important role in his career.

When the Cyber Crimes Task Force started locally, Phelps and former Poplar Bluff Police Officer Jeff Shackleford “were the only ones in this part of Missouri” to work cyber crimes, he said.

Phelps was the first city investigator hired to work with Shackleford, who was the Cyber Crimes Task Force commander.

“The positioned opened up for a cyber crimes investigator and I went back to the city where I remained until I retired,” he said.

Law enforcement was behind in the cyber world, Phelps said.

“Technology developed faster than law enforcement adapted at the beginning. It didn’t take long until law enforcement realized we’ve got to get involved,” he said. “It was unlike anything I’d ever gotten into in law enforcement. The type of work was definitely interesting and was a learning experience.”

An emphasis from the beginning was internet crimes against children.

“Our priority was anything involving child pornography. That was our priority,” he said. “I don’t care what kind of crime it is, nowadays, technology is involved, whether it be narcotics or homicides. There are people messaging about this or that or technologies are involved and usually contain really valuable evidence.”

To be effective, law enforcement has to understand technology.

Phelps recalled how he and Shackleford helped the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

“A guy was messaging a young girl. We of course continued the conversation, like we were the girl. We got him to meet us and we made an arrest,” he said.

In other cases, the suspects’ phones contain “the terrible things” they did to their victims.

Phelps said, “The sad part is, a lot of times you don’t remember the calls that you felt good about, you just remember the really sad ones.”

Phelps career started in 1996 as an unpaid reserve deputy with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department. In about a year, he became a full-time dispatcher.

“Back in those days, reserve deputies would actually cover for guys who were on vacation,” he said.

He started working for Sheriff Sam Gilmore but he worked the majority of his time with the county under Sheriff Bill Heaton.

After working as a dispatcher, he transferred to become a road deputy. Next, he worked as a dispatcher for the Poplar Bluff Police Department before going back to the sheriff’s department as a road deputy.

“My second stint at the sheriff’s department, I was promoted to sergeant and then assistant chief deputy,” he said. “I’ve worked with some great people. Mark Dobbs, the sheriff, I worked with him. Dobbs and I started really young at the sheriff’s department. It was great to work with and for him. It was great working for Chief (Danny) Whiteley. I didn’t work with Chief (Mike) McClain long before I retired.”

Phelps also completed training in hostage negotiations and undercover online operations.

Phelps began having health issues several years ago, which led to his decision to retire early.

“I would love to stay to 55 but I knew I couldn’t,” he said.

He made it through his law enforcement career raising a family, but “it was tough... You miss stuff and that stinks. You don’t get to go to your kids ball game. That’s just the way it is.”

His youngest son, Clayton, is a dispatcher with the sheriff’s department and oldest son, Taylor, is a canine officer with the sheriff’s department in Benton County, Arkansas.

While he may have missed time with his sons, he and his wife, Lori Phelps, plan to spend more time with their grandchildren: Talia, Millie, Owen and Keston.