Dr. R. Scott Russell, CFE, a native of Naples, Florida, serves as the President of Intel Research Group, an investigation corporation headquartered in Florida. Prior to entering the private sector, Scott worked in administrative and sworn law enforcement roles for over twenty years.
Early in his tenure, Scott worked in areas of policing research and policy, having once been afforded the privilege of drafting the Florida statute adopting the National Child Protection Act. During administrative roles and while serving as a sworn officer, Scott conducted original research on witness identification, use-of-force, and early intervention systems.
Scott proudly served in supervisory roles within uniformed patrol and as a Detective assigned to violent crime investigations, property crime investigations and the investigations of crimes against special victims. In addition to his primary duties, Scott was assigned to the Special Operations Bureau as a Hostage Negotiator. After the tragedies on 09/11, Scott was assigned to a terrorism think-tank created to assess vulnerabilities within the jurisdiction. Throughout his sworn law enforcement career, Scott was awarded numerous medals and commendations for both professional achievements and acts in the line-of-duty.
Scott has served as an instructor for the U.S. State Department’s Global Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and since 2011 continues to serve as a subject matter expert and peer reviewer for both the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Labor. Scott is active in numerous professional organizations and is a proud member of the FBI’s InfraGard Program.
The ever-growing list of advanced training credentials held by Scott spans many subject areas yet is largely focused on areas of fraud, deception, interviews and interrogations, terrorism and specialized investigation strategies. Honing the sought-after white-collar investigation skills and tapping into the expansive resources of the ACFE, Scott practices with the gold-standard credential of a Certified Fraud Examiner.
His formal education includes a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, with a concentration in Conflict and Dispute Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, a Master of Science in Human Resource Development from Barry University, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice from his true alma mater, the Florida State University.
From a very young age, Scott knew that he would spend a career in public service. With hopes of standing up for those unable and protecting those not in a position to protect themselves, the long career in law enforcement that followed provided just that opportunity. It’s true, however, that such careers are filled with events rarely worthy of being labeled as exciting, heroic or newsworthy.
Often being the first person to arrive when someone is experiencing the worst day of their lives and striving to be strong for them, is a heavy load to carry. Those are the small moments that made it all worthwhile for Scott, as it does most first responders. No expectation of awards, no news story, simply the hope of a citizen who might remember someone in uniform was there to help in their darkest hour. But if not, that’s okay too. Similar to most former first responders when asked about their service, Scott will only tell you that it was the greatest privilege of his life.
After entering the private sector and receiving frequent requests to become involved in investigations, Scott founded Intel Research Group. If you notice the silhouette of a German Shepherd in the logo, it is not indicative of a working K-9. Scott rescued his then soon to be best friend, Remy the GSD, from a shelter many years ago. The corporate logo was developed to include Remy’s image out of pure love and admiration for him. Remy always does right by his people, as Scott and his team strive to always act in a client’s best interest. Scott continues to support a wonderful group of dog lovers at the Big Cypress German Shepherd Rescue.
IRG operates with the same hopes held by Scott as a child – to help those in need and make even a small difference for someone during a difficult legal situation. Scott ensures that the investigative resources of IRG are reserved solely for well-intentioned clients. Scott’s operating principles allow for a significant percentage of case inquiries to be declined by IRG, often due to unclear client motives. Alternatively, if a legitimate case just isn’t a good fit for IRG, Scott’s team will happily refer clients to a trusted partner. In the end, Scott and his team thrive on the opportunities to help as many good people as possible.