Learn about who is attending training with you this week. What does CART mean to you as you begin the training? Are you part of a CART program that is just getting started, or is already operational? What have your experiences with CART been thus far? Where do you feel your team’s strengths and weaknesses lie? We will consider these and other questions as we begin the training.

How does the crime of child abduction affect the family? This presentation gives participants an opportunity to hear first-hand how family members cope with the pain and anguish of the search for an abducted child. Their experiences can help investigators improve their response to future cases involving missing and abducted children. This is why we are here.

What does current research reveal about recent incidents involving missing and abducted children? In this module, participants will be provided an overview of the major issues involving missing and abducted children, considering trends indicated by the prevailing research. Participants will learn about each classification of missing children, victim and offender profiles and the social ramifications of missing, abducted and endangered child incidents. This module is designed to help participants develop a firm understanding of what they may encounter and the importance of developing local policies and procedures to help successfully manage these investigations.

The building of a well prepared CART starts with a solid foundation and structure rooted in workable and realistic protocols and procedures. The various elements of proven and reliable guiding documents will cover various key elements such as: Area of Service, Team Composition, Response Criteria, Command and Control and others.

The CART Coordinator is likely to act as the Incident Commander during a CART activation. This module explores the various responsibilities of the CART Coordinator during an activation. While the CART Coordinator is responsible for command and control of the incident, many areas of responsibility will need to be delegated to other team members. Team activation, establishment of a command post, team assignments, tip lines, and resource coordination will be covered in this module.

What are the recurring legal issues facing law enforcement officers participating in Child Abduction Response Teams? Participants will develop an understanding of four areas: Search and seizure issues related to child abduction investigations, the role of the prosecutor in the command center, obtaining electronic information and federal criminal and procedural statutes that may be applicable to child abduction cases as well as considerations relevant in determining whether the case should be prosecuted in state or federal court.

Canvass Operations have been identified as being one of the most important and sought after skill sets from existing CARTs across the nation. Key information that can guide and facilitate the Missing Child Investigation originates from these efforts. The process of training and preparation that teams need to be ready for this critical call begins with this module.

Learn how the multi-disciplinary approach of CART was utilized in the abduction of a missing child investigation. The emphasis is on the progression of the response, the organization of the team and how the combined efforts resulted in the recovery of the child. The case study will review best practices and lessons learned can benefit other teams in a successful CART deployment.

What resources are vital to the successful recovery of an abducted child? Participants will learn through actual case experiences the various resources that have been beneficial in a CART callout as well as missing child investigations and work as a team to identify needs for their CART.

The investigation is not over when the child has been rescued, recovered deceased or remains missing; it simply takes a new direction. Participants will examine the various dynamics and the resources necessary to ensure that the family’s emotional and mental health needs are addressed while locating the child and securing arrest and prosecution of the offender.

Teams will participate in an exercise designed to pull together all of the elements of the training they have received and give them the opportunity to practice what they have learned. This will give team members an idea of what to expect when they experience a CART activation once they return home