Director Rausch was born in Louisville, Kentucky.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1986 and his Master of Science in Justice Administration in 2001, both from the University of Louisville.  He has more than 31 years of law enforcement experience. He was enlisted and served in the United States Army Military Police Corps from 1986 to 1990 where he attained the rank of Sergeant. He served for 25 years in the Knoxville Police Department from 1993 to 2018, his last 7 years as Chief of Police. He served 10 years on the KPD SWAT team. He retired from KPD when he was appointed as the 9th Director for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation by Governor Bill Haslam in 2018.

He is a graduate of several prestigious law enforcement leadership training programs to include; the 105th Administrative Officers Course of the Southern Police institute, the FBI 218th National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum 40th Senior Management Institute for Police, the FBI 36th National Executive Institute, the United States Army War College Commandant’s National Security Program, and the 27th Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange Delegation to Israel.

Director Rausch has served in leadership roles for numerous community and professional service organizations to include; the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, Leadership Knoxville, the Knoxville Change Center, the Trinity Health Foundation, the Volunteer Ministry Center Knoxville, the Knoxville Metro Drug Coalition, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, the Memphis/Shelby County Crime Commission, and the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center.

Director Rausch has served as an advisor to legislators on the local, state, and federal level, including the Governor of Tennessee, Congress members, Senators, and Executive Staff members to the past two Presidential administrations.  He has helped draft, support, pass and defeat significant legislation at all levels of government that impact the safety of communities.  He has testified in front of Congress on preparing for and preventing Domestic Terrorism.  He is currently serving as a Commissioner for the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, where he was appointed by U.S. Attorney General William Barr in January 2020.

He has previously served on the Executive Board of IACP as Midsize Agencies Division Chair, and served three years on the Board of Directors, and three years as Co-Chair of the Forensics Committee. He now serves in an elected role on the Executive Board.