RESUME

KELDER INVESTIGATIONS | home

TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS | TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE | RESUME | INFORMATIONAL LINKS

RESUME

PRESENTLY, self-employed, operating Kelder Investigative Services since

1989. The business provides all aspects of Fire Investigations, Fraud

Investigations, Claims Investigations, and Security, serving businesses

and individuals, as well as Attorneys. I retired in December, 2002, from the

Town of Ulster Police Department, where I started in 1991, serving as a Uniformed

Officer, and in plain clothes in the Detective Division. I also worked on Narcotics

Investigations.

EXPERIENCE

Over 20 years experience in the Fire Investigation field. Extensive training

in the areas of Fire Cause and Origin of Structure and Automobile Fires.

Retired Deputy Fire Chief for the City of Kingston Fire Department, after

23 years of service, retiring in December, 1987. The last 10 years of service

with the Fire Department prior to retirement, served as the Officer in Charge

of the City Arson Squad, and a Platoon Commander. Served as Deputy Chief

in Charge of the Fire Preventon Bureau. Certified Police Officer with an

investigative background. Investigated various types of crimes in this capacity.

PVA ASSOCIATES, NJ - Worked for 1 year for a private firm in New Jersey

performing origin and cause investigations in NYC, New Jersey, Connecticut

and Upstate New York. I was employed as a contractor for this firm until

becoming self employed as a private investigator in 1989.

KINGSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT - Worked for the City of Kingston, NY Fire

Department from 1964 to 1987. Worked up through the ranks, retiring with

the rank of Deputy Chief. Conducted investigations of fires for the City of

Kingston in conjunction with the Kingston Police Department Detective

Division. Assisted the Ulster County Sheriff's Department, the New York

State Police, ATF, FBI, as well as County Fire Companies in the investigation

of fires. Served as a former member of the Ulster County Arson Task

Force from its inception.

ULSTER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT - New York State Certified Police

Officer. Worked part-time for the Ulster County Sheriff's Department as

a Patrol Deputy, Marine Unit, and Detective from 1984 to 1992. Experienced

in all kinds of criminal investigations.

ULSTER COUNTY ARSON TASK FORCE - Served as a former member of the

Task Force from its inception to 1992. Investigated fires in the County of

Ulster prior to the formation of the U.C. Arson Task Force. Worked closely

with local police departments and the Ulster County District Attorneys

Office. Helped to establish the Arson Task Force in Ulster County. Assisted

with the training of new Cause and Origin Investigators. Instructed Arson

Awareness courses for NYS Municipal Police Training.

INVESTIGATIONS - Investigative career started over 25 years ago. Actively

investigated in excess of 3,000 fires. Worked on investigative cases with

the FBI, ATF, NYS Police, INS, Ulster Police Department, Ulster County

Sheriff's Department, and City of Kingston Police Departments. Assisted

in drug investigations for Ulster Police and Kingston Police Departments.

EDUCATION :

Kingston High School, Kingston, NY - Graduated 1959

Criminal Justice Programs, including Fire and Criminal Investigations

New York State Fire Academy - Attended numerous seminars and courses,

relative to Fire Investigations

New York State Level 11 Certified Investigator

Certified as a Fire/Explosion Investigator - N.A.F.I.

Certified Police Officer, NYS since 1984 (now retired)

INSTRUCTOR / LECTURER EXPERIENCE - Chief Officer of the Kingston Fire

Department, as a Platoon Commander, Fire Prevention Officer and Chief Arson

Investigator. Instructed Arson Awareness classes. Lectured in the areas of

Fire Prevention and Fire Investigations. Lectured before numerous service

clubs and schools. Assisted in instructing the Fire Science Degree program

at the Ulster County Community College. I also instruct Fire Cause and

Origin segment to the new Police Recruits at the Greene County Community

College and Kingston Police Academy.

QUALIFICATIONS - Testified in Civil / Criminal cases on numerous occasions

and have been qualified as an Expert. Testified as a Police Officer, Fire

Investigator, and a Licensed PI.

Certified Fire Explosiion Investigator by the NAFI, National Association of

Fire Investigators. Certified NYS Level 11 Fire Investigator.

ASSOCIATIONS

International Association of Arson Investigators

New York State Fire Investigators, Chapter 23

National Association of Fire Investigators

International Association of Firefighters

Ulster county Arson Task Force - former member

Ulster Police PBA/FOP - State of New York - former member

Associated Licensed Detectives of New York State - former member

NYS Union of Police Assoc.

Private Eye International

IWWA Worldwide Investigations Association

CITATIONS / AWARDS

Letters of Commendation - Kingston Fire Department

Award of Valor - KFD - 1976

Firefighter of the Year - 1977

Certificate of Merit - KFD - 1981

NYS Chapter 23 of the IAAI Fire Investigator of the Year 1993

1995 Ulster County Police Chiefs Awards for

apprehending an armed robbery suspect, and

investigative work on solving numerous homicides

KELDER INVESTIGATIONS - Home

Types of Investigations

Training and Experience

Informational Links

Contact Webmaster