Beginning in 2010 the first of five National Missing and Unidentified Persons (NamUs) training academies will be held. Each academy will train multidisciplinary "NamUs Teams," one from each state, creating a national network of case management resources for future education and training of other participants in the investigation and eventual solving missing and unidentified persons cases in the United States.

NamUs Team members will represent the following National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) partner agencies, organizations and constituencies:

• Clearinghouse Agent

The missing person's clearing house representative is an employee of a state/local government agency responsible for the evaluation and distribution of missing person's data, including "adults." This team member will be considered in-good-standing with their employer and have at least 5 years (full-time) experience in the field of missing persons investigation.


• Forensic Specialist Expert

The forensic specialist representative is considered an "expert" in their field of forensics and a member in-good-standing with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) from one of the following AAFS membership sections: Criminalistics, Odontology, Pathology/Biology, and/or Physical Anthropology. This individual will hold appropriate status (i.e., diplomat) within their chosen speciality and have knowledge of various scientific identification techniques including; DNA, fingerprint, dental and radiographic applications in the identification of missing persons. He/She should be considered in-good-standing with professional organizations such as the International Association of Identification (IAI) or the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC), with documented experience within their specialty area equal to 5 years full-time employment within the past 10 years.


• Law Enforcement

The law enforcement representative is a sworn officer whithin a federal/state/local law enforcement agency or department of public safety. This individual should have "training officer" status with experience in the investigation of missing persons, specifically adults. He/She should be an active member of their state, national, or international professional organization (e.g., National Sheriffs Association [NSA], International Association of Chiefs of Police [IACP], etc.) and considered in-good-standing with their agency of employment with at least 5 years experience in the field of missing person's investigation.


• Medical Examiner/Coroner

The ME/C investigator representative is a Medical Examiner (ME), Coroner (C) or ME/C Investigator. This team member will be a member in-good-standing with, or certified by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME) and/or the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) with at least 5 years (full-time) experience in the area of medicolegal death investigation.


• Victim Advocate

The victim advocate representative is a paid or volunteer member of at least one of the "recognized" not-for-profit state or national missing person's organizations (e.g., DOE Network, National Center for Missing Adults [NCMA], etc.). This individual has a proven track-record of professional conduct while working with the many "participants" in the investigation, location and identification of missing persons. In addition, this person shall understand the personal and professional diligences required, endure investigations of this type and complexity. He/She should be considered in-good-standing with their community and local law enforcement agency or agencies.

Each team member will be nominated and selected based on their ability to particpate and fulfill the role of NamUs case manager and educator in the year(s) following completion of the academy.

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