‘A natural progression:’ Police partners become business partners

Thomas Trice and Bill Kenny could be stars in a cop buddy movie.

The two are best friends who have worked as partners in the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department for decades, solving murders, breaking up drug rings and investing gang activity. Now, they are business partners.

Kenny and Trice founded TRIKEN Transformational Training http://triken.net/ , a private investigation firm that offers polygraph, investigative and consulting services.

The idea to go into business grew from conversations over Kenny’s kitchen table and in his basement seven years ago to an office on South High Street in Belleville that opened in May.

“We’ve been working together in law enforcement for a long time. This business was a natural progression,” Kenny said.

And though the two have a long friendship, Trice said they do argue.

“We don’t always agree. There’s been words between us. And you need to do that. We are best friends and business partners, but we don’t fall into group thinking,” Trice said.

The firm offers training in the identification of gangs, drugs, cultural diversity, conducting criminal interviews, organizaitonal behavior and safety training for real estate agents and social workers. TRIKEN also offers pre-employment screenings and background investigations of potential employees, civil and criminal investigations and polygraph services. They also offer traditional private investigations services, such as surveillance, missing person location, insurance fraud, domestic investigations, employee theft investigations, computer forensics, information gathering and investigative research, conducted by a licensed private investigator.

Trice, 46, and Kenny have spent more than two decades at the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. Kenny is a master sergeant. Trice is a captain. The two have worked in investigations, tactical, drug and gang units. They both served as investigators with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Trice is planning on retiring this year. Kenny will continue to work for the sheriff’s department.

Kenny, 45, has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from St. Louis University, a master’s degree from Lindenwood University and is currently pursuing his doctorate degree at Lindenwood. Kenny worked more than 6,000 felony cases ranging from rape to homicide. He closed 65 percent of his cases. Kenny currently serves as the assistant superintendent at the St. Clair County Jail.

Trice has two bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and pre-law from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, two master’s degrees from Webster University and his doctoral degree from Lindenwood University. Trice is an assistant adjunct professor for St. Louis University. He is a licensed polygraph examiner. During his law enforcement career, he worked more than 18,000 felony cases and has worked as an undercover agent for state and federal law enforcement. He also has conducted more than 1,500 polygraph examinations. He is one of two state-licensed polygraph examiners south of Springfield.

“We are known as the dynamic duo,” Kenny said. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. We both are committed to doing what we know best, law enforcement, and giving that knowledge to the next generation of officers and departments.”

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 7:55 AM with the headline "‘A natural progression:’ Police partners become business partners."