INTERPOL WASHINGTON LAUNCHES NEW MISSING PERSONS UNIT LEVERAGING GLOBAL RESOURCES IN FIGHT TO FIND FAMILY MEMBERS

WASHINGTON – Today, INTERPOL Washington announced the establishment of the Missing Persons Unit (MPU), a new unit dedicated to leveraging the extensive INTERPOL network, cutting-edge technology, and specialized expertise to bolster efforts in locating missing individuals anywhere in the world.

“The launch of the MPU marks a significant stride towards enhancing global law enforcement cooperation, bringing closure to families, and ensuring justice for missing persons,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes. “By integrating the unit into our operational framework, we are reinforcing our commitment to working with countries all over the globe to build a safer world together.”

The MPU is a unit within INTERPOL Washington’s Global Police Services (GPS) Division and will use its resources, technology, and expertise to assist foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies and families in locating missing individuals. The unit will collaborate with INTERPOL's global network of 196 member countries and partners to share information, coordinate efforts, and enhance cross-border cooperation in locating missing persons.

Using INTERPOL tools and the INTERPOL Washington team of experts in various fields, including law enforcement, the MPU will provide specialized support and guidance to domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies working on missing persons cases. MPU will also provide access to INTERPOL's extensive databases, which contain DNA, unidentified bodies, fingerprints, facial recognition, and other information.

These INTERPOL tools include:

• Yellow Notices, which are INTERPOL alerts issued to help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.
• Black Notices, which are an INTERPOL alert issued to seek information about unidentified bodies.
• INTERPOL’s I-Familia service, which provides the necessary international mechanism to allow missing persons DNA data to be compared globally.

MPU’s establishment reflects INTERPOL Washington’s continuing proactive approach to addressing missing persons cases and emphasizes the agency’s dedication to bolstering global law enforcement cooperation.

A component of the U.S. Department of Justice co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—is the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.