LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (News Release) – Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today, along with Rep. Bill Gossage and Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) Director Jay Winters, unveiled a website, hosted by ACIC, to assist with the more than 500 active Arkansas missing persons cases.

NeverForgotten.ar.gov, which was launched today, enables the public to access information on missing persons cases with an easy-to-use searchable database.

“Since I became attorney general, I have consistently heard that our State can do a better job of helping the public easily find information about these cases,” said Rutledge. “Now, all Arkansans will be able assist our law enforcement community by visiting this public website and obtaining information about missing Arkansans.”

“It is an exciting time as we see Arkansas bringing its resources to bear on locating missing kids and missing adults,” said Gossage. “Today marks another huge step forward in bringing them home.”

“It is important for all agencies involved in locating missing children and adults to work in a partnership and this website is another step to accomplish that goal,” said Jay Winters, director of the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

“The Arkansas State Police is in a unique position to network with local law enforcement jurisdictions and share information relating to suspected homicide and disappearance cases,” said Col. Bill Bryant, director of the Arkansas State Police. “Our doors at the State Police are always open to family members looking for help in finding the appropriate local jurisdiction and helping local police and sheriffs’ departments re-evaluate these cases that haunt countless families across the State.”

“We are pleased to partner with our State and local partners and participate with the Never Forgotten website,” stated Diane Upchurch, special agent in charge at the FBI Little Rock Field Office.  “Working with our State and local partners to locate missing persons in Arkansas is important to the FBI, and we are happy to offer our resources to assist in the search for missing persons.”

“Every missing person matters,” said Colleen Nick, director of the Morgan Nick Foundation. “We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement community and the Attorney General’s office, unified in the fight to find those who are missing.”

Arkansas has over 500 unsolved missing persons cases, with those missing ranging from ages 2 to 99. Before this website was created, the public had limited access to information found in a full database of missing persons that has been maintained for law enforcement agencies. ACIC’s publicly searchable database had only about 50 missing persons listed and included missing persons cases on the agency’s website only when a local law enforcement agency submitted a special request.

NeverForgotten.ar.gov will include all missing persons from Arkansas and will be updated regularly. Arkansans who have missing loved ones should share as much information as possible, especially the most recent available photographs with their local law enforcement agency. Local agencies will provide updated information to ACIC to be included on the website.

In addition to Rutledge and ACIC, today’s website would not be possible without the partnership of the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association, Arkansas State Crime Lab, Arkansas State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation – Little Rock Division, Morgan Nick Foundation and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.