COLUMBUS—On January 12, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the creation of a working group to examine how missing persons cases are investigated and offer recommendations for improvement.

Members of the new Missing Persons Working Group will review and study Ohio’s resources and response to adult and juvenile missing persons cases including database usage, law enforcement staffing and training, and investigation best practices.

The Missing Persons Working Group will convene its first meeting at the Ohio Department of Public Safety on January 23, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Recommendations are expected to be issued at the end of April.

The Missing Persons Working Group is led by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson. Other working group members include:

• Kamran Afzal, Chief, Dayton Police Department
• Jeff Allen, Chief Deputy, Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office
• Kevin Callahan, Detective, Cleveland Division of Police
• Kelli Cary, State Anti-Trafficking Director, Office of Criminal Justice Services
• Matt Champlin, Sheriff, Gallia County Sheriff’s Office
• Aimee Chapman, Sister of Andrew Chapman
• Vince Ciola, Bureau Chief, Ohio Department of Children and Youth
• Jonisa Cook, Mother of Joshua Al-Lateef Jr.
• Sylvia Colon, Co-founder, Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults
• Gerald Ehrsam, Sergeant, Columbus Division of Police
• Pete Elliot, U.S. Marshal, Northern District of Ohio
• Aaron Haslam, Prosecutor, Adams County Prosecutor’s Office
• Rebecca Kincaid, Detective, Toledo Police Department
• Jennifer Lester, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Lydia Smith Lockwood, Ph.D., Assistant Principal, Upper Arlington High School
• Chris Nicastro, Deputy Director, Criminal Justice and Recovery Services, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services 
• Bruce Pijanowski, Superintendent, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Tessa Pohovey, Chief, New Philadelphia Police Department
• Ronald Raines, Captain, Ohio State Highway Patrol
• Mike Rankin, First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney - Special Services, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office
• Rick Rodger, Judge, Union County Probate/Juvenile Court
• Kara Wente, Director, Ohio Department of Children and Youth