Training
Overview
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) is committed to providing training, technical assistance and resources to public safety and child-serving professionals.
NCMEC hosts in-person classroom training sessions in its state-of-the-art Walsh Training Center located in our Alexandria, VA headquarters, as well as facilities located across the country at our regional offices and partner agencies. Online courses are available through NCMEC Connect, designed to provide easy access to training and resources for professionals on the frontlines.
Contact NCMEC training staff via email, training@ncmec.org.
By the Numbers
367,460
professionals have been trained by NCMEC
313
Law Enforcement Agencies and PSAPs are recognized by the Missing Kids Readiness Program
Professionals in
all 50 states and
33 countries
have been trained by NCMEC.
Online Learning
NCMEC Connect is your virtual gateway to on-demand trainings, resources and best practices related to missing and exploited children. Access our learning platform to build your knowledge set around these issues to better protect children in your community.
Hybrid Learning
(Combination of online and classroom)
This course is designed for leaders in law enforcement agencies, emergency communications centers, and state missing clearinghouses. Participants will engage in a hybrid format of online learning combined with two and one-half days of face-to-face training at NCMEC headquarters in Alexandria, VA.
This learning seminar will familiarize participants with issues related to missing and sexually exploited child cases. It will include effective policies and practices, emerging trends, technical assistance, and best practice resources for responding to calls of missing and sexually exploited children.
Click here to view the PRPL course one pager.
PRPL Series Class Dates:
June 6-8* and September 19-21*
Cancellations
*Courses dates are pending approval by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). NCMEC makes every reasonable effort to ensure the courses are held on the advertised dates. Low enrollment or delayed approval from DOJ may cause a course to be postponed or cancelled.
Topics Covered:
- Missing Children and At-Risk Populations
- Exploited Children, including Sextortion and Other Trends
- Child Sex Trafficking
- Community-Based Multi-Disciplinary Teams
- Trauma-informed, child-focused perspectives
- Legal Issues
- Digital and Social Media Relations
- Federal Resources
- Family and Survivor Impact
- Forensics
- Responder Resilience and Wellness
- Search Best Practices and Exercise
- Community Assessment and Action Planning
Costs:
The cost of admission, training materials, airfare and lodging are covered through NCMEC.
Meals and refreshments provided during class time are funded through private donations. No federal funds are used to pay for food and beverages.
Attendees are responsible for evening meals and ground transportation between the airport and lodging/training site.
PRPL Course Requirements:
• Applicants must be active members of a law enforcement agency, emergency communications center or state missing clearinghouse and in a formal leadership role.
- Prior to attendance:
- Complete five self-paced online learning modules that provide a foundational understanding of NCMEC’s role as a national clearinghouse and resource center.
- Complete Missing Kids Readiness Program (MKRP) self-paced online learning modules that provide best practices for receiving and responding to calls of missing and sexually exploited children.
- During the Seminar:
- Complete the course Evaluation
- Submit a community action plan
- After the Seminar:
- Complete and return progress surveys sent by NCMEC three months, and six months after course completion
- Continuing Education Credits: NCMEC does not provide continuing educational credits (CEU) to participants. Upon successful completion of the PRPL training program, NCMEC will provide a training certificate that contains class name, date/location, and hours of the training. Learning objectives, course agendas, and instructor information are provided. It is the responsibility of the participants to work with their accrediting/certifying agencies to obtain continuing educational units. NCMEC will provide reasonable assistance and documentation to assist participants in obtaining CEUs. Please contact us at training@ncmec.org with any questions concerning this information.
In-Person Learning
Billings, Montana
Tuesday, September 26 - Thursday, September 28, 2023
Emerging Trends Regional Training brings the most updated data and best practices for missing and exploited children to the state.
This three-day training is open to child welfare professionals and sworn law enforcement. Attendees will hear about NCMEC and local resources, case studies and survivor perspectives.
- Day One: Children Missing from Care
- Day Two: Child Sexual Abuse Material
- Day Three: Child Sex Trafficking (Afternoon open to sworn law enforcement only)
- Note: Location will be provided to accepted attendees
*Course dates are pending approval by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). NCMEC makes every reasonable effort to ensure the courses are held on the advertised dates. Low enrollment or delayed approval from DOJ may cause a course to be postponed or cancelled.
Online courses via NCMEC Connect recommended prior to attending in-person training.
Topeka, Kansas
Tuesday, October 31 - Thursday, November 2, 2023
Emerging Trends Regional Training brings the most updated data and best practices for missing and exploited children to the state.
This three-day training is open to child welfare professionals and sworn law enforcement. Attendees will hear about NCMEC and local resources, case studies and survivor perspectives.
- Day One: Children Missing from Care
- Day Two: Child Sexual Abuse Material
- Day Three: Child Sex Trafficking (Afternoon open to sworn law enforcement only)
- Note: Location will be provided to accepted attendees
*Course dates are pending approval by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). NCMEC makes every reasonable effort to ensure the courses are held on the advertised dates. Low enrollment or delayed approval from DOJ may cause a course to be postponed or cancelled.
Online courses via NCMEC Connect recommended prior to attending in-person training.
Midland, Texas
Wednesday, November 8 - Thursday, November 9, 2023
This free, two-day event brings the resources of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and state and local child protection agencies to your state! Learn about missing and sexually exploited child issues, as well as prevention and education programs. We will focus on a particular topic each day.
- Day One: NCMEC programs, prevention, and family support for law enforcement, child welfare advocates, educators, other child-serving professionals, and members of the public
- Day Two: NCMEC issues and responses for law enforcement and child welfare professionals only
You must be signed into your free NCMEC Connect account to view and apply. If you do not have an account, one must be created in order to apply.
The purpose of NCMEC’s Forensic Imaging Training Course is to build capacity among law enforcement agencies through instruction of techniques developed by NCMEC’s Forensic Imaging Unit in digital image manipulation to aid in missing child/exploited child/unidentified deceased children cases. This training has been conducted at the University of South Florida Forensic Science and Anthropology Department, the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Unit in Linthicum, MD and the DHS Washington Field Office Computer Laboratory in Fairfax, VA. Since inception in 2008, NCMEC has provided this training to hundreds of federal staff as well as domestic and international law enforcement personnel, forensic artists and analysts.
This class is for qualified law enforcement and federal agency personnel who have a basic level knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and drawing techniques.
Topics Covered:
- Age progressions of children and adults
- Digital image enhancement
- Digital sanitization rendering of supplemental materials such as tattoos, clothing, and jewelry
- Facial approximation and reconstruction
Costs:
Training is provided at no cost to active law enforcement and federal agency staff
Forensic Imaging Training Dates:
Future dates pending
This was the best-organized training program I have ever experienced. This was excellent and useful training that will have an impact on how our agency handles missing children cases. I am anxious to implement the many things that I learned at this seminar.“
Chief John Pritchard, Herington Police Department
Organizational Training Programs
MKRP promotes best practices for responding to calls of missing, abducted and sexually exploited children. Agencies will be recognized by NCMEC for meeting essential training and policy elements demonstrating preparedness for responding to a missing child incident.
Code Adam is a safety protocol for lost and potentially abducted children. It is designed to help businesses, parks, government buildings and other establishments ensure that they have safety protocols in place to respond quickly and effectively to situations involving a missing child.
To request NCMEC representation at your training or conference event, please complete this form.
If you are interested in hosting a NCMEC training program, submit your request here.
Download publications related to the issues of missing children, child sexual exploitation, and safety and prevention.