1. International Cooperation for Missing Person Investigations
Susan Hitchin, PhD
3rd International Conference on Missing Children and Adults
Abertay University, June 2017

2. The Need for International Cooperation
Ease of international travel
Increased global
migration
Transnational crime, including human trafficking & terrorist incidents
Vulnerability of
migrants and refugees
‘‘A silent mass disaster’’ NIJ (2005)
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3. Suffering of families
Financial implications
The right to know
The need to seek justice

4. A Global Problem Multiple players
Governmental & non-governmental organisations, international organisations, bilateral, regional efforts….
A problem not solved by one organisation alone
Fragmented approach

5. Identification and respect for the dignity of the dead
5-point plan of action:
Equal treatment (treat loss of migrants and refugees the same as DVI incidents)
Identification and respect for the dignity of the dead
Assistance to families
Establish international databases
Establish global programme of research
International Organization for Migration (IOM)

6. INTERPOL’s Role for Missing Persons
Police information:
All countries have missing person police investigations and unidentified dead bodies
INTERPOL mandate:
To locate a person
Article 10.2(b) of the RPD
To identify a person or dead body
Article 10.2(e) of the RPD
INTERPOL capabilites:
International dissemination & exchange of information
Databases

7. INTERPOL Largest international police organisation
190 member countries
Legal framework for secure international police data exchange and operational support
3 billion records searched per year
Availability of all services to all member countries

8. GLOBAL COMPLEX FOR INNOVATION
Bruxelles, Belgium
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, EU
Lyon, France
GENERAL SECRETARIAT
New York, USA
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, UN
Bangkok, Thailand
LIAISON OFFICE
San Salvador, El Salvador
REGIONAL BUREAU: C-AMERICA
Nairobi, Kenya
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
REGIONAL BUREAU: E-AFRICA
Singapore
REGIONAL BUREAU: W-AFRICA
GLOBAL COMPLEX FOR INNOVATION
Harare, Zimbabwe
Yaounde, Cameroon
REGIONAL BUREAU: S-AFRICA
Buenos Aires, Argentina
REGIONAL BUREAU: CENTR-AFRICA
REGIONAL BUREAU: S-AMERICA
INTERPOL: A Global Outreach
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9. INTERPOL Notices
To seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action
To seek information on unidentified bodies
To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.
To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.
To provide warnings and intelligence about persons who have committed criminal offences and are likely to repeat these crimes in other countries.
To seek or provide information on modi operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.
Issued for groups and individuals who are the targets of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees.
To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.

10. Public Website:

11. Public Website:

12. Restricted Access:

13. Travel Documents Associated With Notices
TDAWN Application
Travel Documents Associated With Notices
Enables authorized users to detect persons subject to INTERPOL Notices by performing checks on associated travel documents
Yellow Notices
=> Abducted children

14. INTERPOL’s Databases (18)
Stolen / Lost
Travel Documents
Fingerprints
Ballistics
(IBIN and iARMS)
DNA
INTERPOL’s
Databases (18)
Child Sexual
Exploitation
Maritime Piracy
Stolen Works
of Art
Facial
Recognition
Stolen Vessels
Nominals
Stolen Motor
Vehicles
Wanted
Persons

15. INTERPOL Biometric Database for
Missing Persons
Fingerprints
Facial Recognition
DNA

16. Current INTERPOL DNA matching for missing persons
Algeria
Gibraltar
New Zealand
Australia
Greece
Norway
Austria
Hong Kong
Panama
Azerbaijan
Hungary
Poland
Belarus
India
Portugal
Belgium
Iraq
Romania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ireland
Russia
Brazil
Israel
Serbia
Bulgaria
Italy
Slovakia
Canada
Japan
Slovenia
Chile
Jordan
South Africa
Costa Rica
Kuwait
Spain
Croatia
Latvia
Switzerland
Cyprus
Liechtenstein
Syria
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Thailand
Denmark
Luxembourg
Turkey
Estonia
Macedonia, FYR of
Ukraine
Finland
Mexico
United Arab Emirates
France
Montenegro
United Kingdom
Germany
Netherlands
United States
Missing persons : 663
Unidentified human remains 1671
60 member countries:

17. Current INTERPOL DNA matching for missing persons
FRANCE
NORWAY
Unidentified male body found in remote mountain cabin in Northern Norway
Missing Person
(2015)
Unidentified Human Remains
(2015)

18. Current INTERPOL DNA matching for missing persons
THE NETHERLANDS
SLOVAKIA
Missing Person
(2016)
Unidentified Human Remains
(2016)

19. Current INTERPOL DNA matching for missing persons
DENMARK
SPAIN
Unidentified male body found on beach
Reported missing since 1 Sept 2015
Yellow Notice issued on 6 Jan 2016
Body found on 11 Sept 2015 Black Notice issued on 21 March 2017

20. Proposed Family DNA Matching
Using family DNA information to identify missing persons
Family DNA is ONLY searched against unidentified human remains
1st family DNA matching database for police on an international level
Family member
Missing person
Female/Male
Victim

21. New Family DNA Forms Submission must comply with its national law
Confirmation of free, express and informed consent of the missing person’s relatives for this purpose

22. International Recommendations
Use of DNA for the identification of missing persons and unidentified human remains
Implement a missing persons programme
Identification efforts shall apply equally to all
Primary identifiers :
dental, fingerprint and DNA
Secondary identifiers:
medical data, tattoos etc
Data collection
Quality management
International searching
PROPOSED NEW RECOMMENDATION:
Centralisation of MP DNA at INTERPOL

23. Strengthening INTERPOL’s Missing Person Capababilites

24. A Global Problem – A Global Solution
Increase data quality
Extend accessibilty
Raise awareness
Ensure interoperability
Inter-agency cooperation
Improve effectiveness

25. Thank you for your attention
Susan Hitchin
Coordinator
INTERPOL DNA Unit