The McCanns: Profiling the profilers

I was looking through the website of NPIA (National Policing Improvement Agency) and you know how it is with some websites - it's a bit like looking at a dictionary or an atlas; you start off with one thing and three hours later you are still "browsing"! The NPIA is such a site.

As can be seen on the website of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and also Google, NPIA is one of the UK agencies involved in the investigation into the disappearance and alleged abduction of Madeleine McCann.

One of my areas of interest is training - including UK based training, (as many have already probably found out - along with a few other things no doubt!:), and eventually I came across a page describing the role of National Advisors.

National Search Advisor, has a remit to provide operational support to forces in relation to search matters. These include:

. Homicides, no body murders, missing persons, abductions & mass fatality disasters.
. Locating human remains concealed or otherwise.
. Review previous search activity or strategies on critical and cold cases.
. Prepare and write search strategies for SIO or PolSA action.
. Access detailed maps, aerial photographs, and topographical data with state of the art equipment; as well as calling on military assets where appropriate.

For those of you who are interested in how the system works, it is well worth a look.

I have been in touch with an old schoolfriend who knows about such agencies, and she assures me the agency has an excellent reputation.

As for me, I will take a look at a few more of their training courses. Who knows, I may be able to flog them one the courses listed under "Training programs"!