“Together we care; Together we investigate”
Izanne de Wit MCI
Chief Inspector
Head of National Expertise Center Missing Persons
National Coordinator Missing Persons
Current President PEN-MP
About Izanne de Wit
More than 25 years ago, I started my career at the police in the surveillance service. After a few years, the work of the investigation attracted me and I became a detective. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Policing and my Master’s degree in Criminal Investigations. I wrote my Master’s thesis about juvenile delinquency. More specifically, about girls’ crime. After graduating, I was appointed as Criminal Investigation Coordinator of a Cold Case team. About 12 years ago I specialized in the field of missing person investigations. This made me see the versatility of the investigation of missing persons and I also followed a pre-master in the subject of missing children, healthcare institutions and human trafficking.
Even though I have been working in the field of investigating missing persons for quite some time, I am still very driven and motivated. I like the complex investigative problems that the investigation of missing persons entails. Every level; from operation to strategy. That gives me satisfaction, but that is not the primary source of my motivation.
I have experienced the enormous gratitude for our work of those left behind. Considering the devastating effect a missing person often has in families. The enormous uncertainty, the stress, the sadness and the powerlessness. I noticed that the police are often their last straw. We considered to be the ones who can put an end to the unbearable uncertainty. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, but we can at least do our very best. We need to do this as effective, efficient and competent as possible, from reporting to investigation.
To ensure that every police officer uses and is able to use his knowledge and skills optimal, I am very intrinsically motivated to do my utmost as president of the PEN-MP to strengthen and improve the cooperation and investigation of missing persons between the various police services.
From Izanne de Wit
Dear Members and Observers of the Police Expert Network on Missing Persons, as the presiding country, we will host our yearly conference at December the 11th and the 12th, 2024 in Delft, the Netherlands.
At last year’s conference we focused on the collaborative public search for missing persons. This year, the focus is on the investigation for missing persons. In particular, the search for missing (abducted) children. A very important European and also worldwide issue, that we, as police forces, are confronted with.
We ask ourselves these following questions continuously: How do we need to cooperate? How do we strengthen and enhance cross-border cooperation when a child is abducted and taken across the border? The Internal Security Fund of the European Union (ISF) has awarded the PEN-MP a grant to tackle this issue together within the framework of police and cross-border cooperation. To renew, to improve and to strengthen existing working methods and to draw up an European Guide for police deployment in investigations into international missing child or abduction incidents.
A very meaningful challenge that we, as the presiding country of the PEN-MP cannot execute on our own. We need all of you, as delegates of the Police Services of the European countries, Law Enforcement organizations and the knowledge and expertise of our observers.
Within this framework, we will also continue the work of the working groups established last year.
Members and observers of the PEN-MP will receive the invitation to the 2024 conference in September (2024). Once again, the conference will take place in the Netherlands. We are looking forward to seeing you all in December.
On behalf of the core group of the PEN-MP,
Regards, Izanne de Wit