The following four individuals have each served as the Commander of the Major Case Squad during its first two decades of existence. Each emphasizes that the Squad has been a team effort and that the credit for solving the cases belongs to each member of the team, past and present.
- John B. Brown
Lt. John Brown was the first Commander of the Major Case Squad. He served as its Commander from the formation of the Squad in 1983 until January of 1991, when he switched to the position of Deputy Squad Commander. At the time he led the Squad he was the Chief of Detectives of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, from which he retired in December of 2000. He now works as an officer with the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Public Safety.
- John D. Jordan
Sheriff John Jordan was the second Commander of the Major Case Squad, serving in that position from January of 1991 until he resigned to run for Sheriff in 1994. At the time he served as Commander, he was the Lieutenant in charge of Criminal Investigations at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department. As the Sheriff of Cape Girardeau County, he now serves on the Board of Directors of the Major Case Squad.
- Carson L. Kelley
Carson Kelly was the third Commander of the Major Case Squad, serving in that capacity from September 7, 1994 until his resignation on February 25, 2000. At the time he served as Commander, he was the Assistant Director of Public Safety at Southeast Missouri State University, a position he still holds. He still serves on the Major Case Squad.
- David A. James
Lt. David James is the current Commander of the Major Case Squad. He has held the position since February 25, 2000. He is the Lieutenant in charge of criminal investigations at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department. He has been with the Sheriff’s Department since 1986 and has been a member of the Major Case Squad since 1988.