The Iowa Department of Public Safety is relaunching the state’s Missing Person Information Clearinghouse website in an effort to locate the more than 300 Iowans whose whereabouts are currently unknown. The clearinghouse was first established in 1985 by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) as the main hub to collect and disseminate information on missing people and went online in 2005. The newly updated website improves on how this information is presented to the public and expands on users’ ability to search identifiable body details, date of birth, originating law enforcement agency and much more. Approximately 75 percent of the people listed on the clearinghouse do not have an accompanying photo, and authorities need the public’s assistance in helping to reduce that number. Public Safety Commissioner, Stephan Bayens, says, “Locating missing persons is difficult work and often takes collaboration from a wide network of people. We’re very pleased to give the public and our law enforcement partners more advanced tools to help locate and bring missing Iowans safely home.” The advanced search features are available now and can be found at www.iowamissingpersons.com.
