DNA ISSUES

The following information was passed on from Ret. Det Al Meller (NYPD), who rightly felt that this information could be of value. An important priority for law enforcement is the safe return of missing persons. But few of the approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States have uniform procedures for taking a missing persons report or obtaining critical information for the identification of human remains. At the same time many coroners and medical examiners have not been able to obtain the benefits of a national database that can help identify missing persons. Under the President’s DNA Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice has developed model State legislation that suggests how States can improve the way missing persons and human remains information is collected, analyzed, and shared. The model legislation is the product of collaboration with Federal, State, and local law enforcement, experts, victim advocates, forensic scientists, and key policymakers. It takes into account many proposals and comments received at a national strategy meeting held in Philadelphia in April 2005. The Justice Department encourages all States to use and adapt the model State legislation to meet their needs. The legislation, support materials, case studies, field assessments, and other additional resources can be found on www.DNA.gov. Note also that this is an excellent site for investigative information on all DNA issues. There is a training course available for investigators which can be ordered here as well (free of charge). Now available on: www.DNA.gov is the NIJ training course “What Every Law Enforcement Officer Should Know About DNA”.