Answer Man: Who's behind tinted windows of stealth vehicles?

Answer Man: I've seen several black police-like vehicles with "SWOJS" on them. Today I saw a black Tahoe with those letters. The lettering is done in such a stealthy way that it is almost invisible. What is this organization? Why the secrecy? — Jon Wessel, of Springfield

Jon, this agency is so secret that I found no trace. This worries me. You should leave the country tonight.

Actually, I found no trace because the initials are actually "SMOJS" — not "SWOJS."

SMOJS stands for Southern Missouri Judicial Services, it's a private-security company based in Springfield, with a second location in Branson.

(So you know, readers, I sent Jon a link to the SMOJS website and he confirmed that this is the company he had asked me about.)

The man behind the tinted window oftentimes is former police officer Tim Brenner, 44, who founded SMOJS in 2008 in his Springfield home.

It started as a bail-bonding company but quickly expanded to security, surveillance, prisoner transport and arson investigation.

Security clients include hotels, apartment complexes and gated communities.

"We provide executive protection for people who come to town," he says. He said his company does not disclose its executive customers.

Transport customers include various police agencies.

The company has 14 vehicles — which includes Tahoes, Dodge Chargers, Chevy Impalas and two prisoner transport vehicles. All have the same features sought by law-enforcement departments.

It has 67 employees, including many certified law-enforcement officers, as well as 10 trained canines.

One of the dogs is trained to detect bedbugs.

"We provide bodyguards," he explains. "Some of our clients want to make sure that the room where they are staying doesn't have bed bugs."

Some of the SMOJS dogs attend school. It's where they sniff for drugs or guns.

According to Brenner, his company has the state's only canine specifically trained to sniff out materials used as accelerants in fires.

It also has a bomb-sniffing dog.

Often, he says, the dogs are hired under contract by public agencies that include schools, police departments and sheriff's departments.

It has a drone, too, to help in investigations, according to the company's website.

In 2013, Brenner invested in breath-alcohol units.

Brenner started his law-enforcement career in Cherokee County, Kansas. He later worked with canines in Barry County and in Springfield as an undercover member of COMET,  the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team, a drug task force operating in Greene County and eight others.

And the lettering you mentioned, Jon — well, Brenner tells me he just wanted something cool and distinctive.

Keep those questions coming. Send them to The Answer Man at 836-1253, spokin@gannett.com, on Twitter @stevepokinNL or by mail at 651 N. Boonville, Springfield, MO 65806.