He served as an officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, retiring as Captain. During that time, a majority of his law enforcement career was spent working in intelligence or intelligence-related assignments. Frank is credited with developing the department’s original Automated Intelligence System in the early 1980s. He also developed the department’s Automated Field Interview System along with systems that could search State of Arizona Regulatory and Licensing Agency databases. One of his major accomplishments was the development of an automated deconfliction system to enhance officer safety and prevent redundant investigations.

Frank served in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Intelligence Officer, retiring as Commander. His assignments included the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). During Operation Desert Storm, he served as a foreign counterintelligence agent. Frank’s military service also included special assignments to other federal intelligence agencies and a DOD, Joint Task Force.  During his career, he completed an assignment with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). While at EPIC, Frank assisted in enhancing the intelligence methodologies and automated programs and in tying state and local agencies into the DEA intelligence network.

He currently has his own business which provides instruction in law enforcement intelligence; management, collection operations and analysis, in both the United States and selected foreign countries  Frank Root is the author of Law Enforcement Intelligence Critical Functions.

According to the book description, “Law Enforcement Intelligence Critical Functions was developed to serve three different, yet related functions: Assist the law enforcement operational units to identify and understand the guidance they must provide to the intelligence unit supporting their operation or investigation; Assist the law enforcement intelligence unit to understand the types and forms of intelligence operational and investigative units require to perform their various law enforcement functions; and, Assist the law enforcement mission managers in understand the functions of both enforcement and intelligence units, and how those units interact to provide a successfully law enforcement outcome.”