Daily Inspiration: Meet Kevin Cronister

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Cronister.

Hi Kevin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m a Detective with a Crimes against Children Task Force in the Kansas City Metro Area.

I also operate as a point man for our SWAT team and I’m a SWAT Firearms Instructor. I initially got into law enforcement after graduating with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Washburn University.

After a few years, I went back to school for my Master’s in Forensic Psychology and specialized in the psychology of sex offenders. Specifically, I specialized in child sex offenders.

I’ve served in a lot of different capacities for my department in the last 10 years including being a full-time trainer, a patrol officer, and a SWAT Operator.

My current role as Detective with this task force is by far the most rewarding and enjoyable spot I’ve worked. Because of my experience working with child crime victims, I began dabbling in teaching children and their parents how to stay safe online.

This eventually morphed into my company that specializes in teaching specific skill sets to law enforcement (i.e Ballistic Shield Training, Case Law Studies, Offender Psychology, Pistol/Rifle Fundamentals, etc.) and teaching firearms, self-defense, and cyber safety to civilians.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a side business is never easy. There are a lot of hoops to jump through in order to be an entrepreneur. Plus, there’s a huge time commitment to starting a business that most people don’t understand.

I worked with the State of Kansas to make sure I had all of my ducks in a row and they helped streamline the process. Overall, though, I’d say it’s been a relatively smooth road.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I mentioned before, I’m currently a Detective with a Metro area Crimes against Children Task Force. I specialize in crimes against children which stem from internet communications. This means cases involving child pornography or the electronic solicitation of children for sexual purposes by adults.

Unfortunately, a large majority of this happens on your normal social media accounts. Facebook Messenger, TikTok, and Snapchat are currently the biggest platforms for child predators looking to meet up with young children. Obviously, what I do can be very heavy but the satisfaction of protecting our country’s most vulnerable population is worth the stress.

I place a heavy emphasis on cyber safety in my programs when I speak to children and I discuss separately with the adults what to look for, how to preserve evidence, and what to say to your child if they are ever victims of a crime. Being a father myself, I dedicate a lot of emotional energy to my cases and it’s vitally important to me to ensure these kids have a voice and are protected.

Additionally, with my experience in teaching self-defense and firearms to law enforcement officers of every shape, size, and gender, I’ve adapted our self-defense program to offer courses to civilians; including women and children in both self-defense and firearm safety.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Obviously, law enforcement is in a constant state of flux. Over the next 5-10 years, with the huge strides that are likely to be made in technology and social media, I’ll have to constantly educate myself and keep up to date on the social trends and technological developments.

Also, self-defense techniques are constantly being tested, refined, and altered. The techniques will be different and new techniques will be added in 5-10 years. Everything I teach is consistently reviewed and updated to reflect the most current and effective options for protecting yourself.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.guardiantrainingsolutions.com
• Instagram: @guardian_training_solutions
• Facebook: Guardian Training Solutions