A decorated lawman who helped modernize undercover narcotics intervention and went on to handle the investigation of some of the state’s most major cases died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 66.
The officer, Robert “Bob” Krofssik, served with McMinnville Police Department from 1980 until joining the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in 1997. He began his career in law enforcement in 1971 with the Orlando Police Department before relocating to McMinnville.
During his tenure here, Krofssik worked as a patrolman with McMinnville Police Department for several years before being promoted to sergeant and moved to the detective’s division. It was there he was placed over the joint McMinnville-Warren County drug team which began running routine undercover operations to stem the tide of drug trafficking. These operations continue today.
“He was dedicated,” said McMinnville Police Chief Bryan Denton who served along with Krofssik. “He was one of those guys who you could always depend on.”
Denton noted Krofssik was a crack investigator and would often sew up cases in short order.
“There were times where he could come upon a scene and pretty well tell you who done it based on the evidence and his knowledge of who would be involved in such crimes,” Denton said.
With his investigative skills in 1997, he joined the TBI as a special agent. During that time he worked numerous investigations, the most high profile being the murder of state Sen. Tommy Burkes by Byron “Low Tax” Looper. He retired from the TBI in 2007.
Krofssik was conferred Officer of the Year honors in 1994 by McMinnville’s Noon Exchange Club.
In addition to his law enforcement work, Krofssik served his country during the Vietnam War, assigned to the Inshore Undersea Warfare Group in Cam Ranh Bay. He earned the U.S. Navy Unit Commendation and Meritorious Unit Commendation. He also served on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in the South China Sea and the USS Fulton, a submarine tender based out of New London, Conn.