§15-3D-10. Unresolved missing persons complaints.

(a) Law enforcement agencies shall permanently retain and shall not destroy unresolved missing persons complaint records and evidence.

(b) Law enforcement agencies may follow the state’s existing record-retention schedules for resolved missing persons complaints.

(c) Law-enforcement agencies shall digitize active and unresolved missing persons complaint files, ensuring that all related documentation and evidence are scanned, uploaded, or otherwise preserved in a secure, searchable digital format. Physical and biological evidence shall be retained permanently by the lead law-enforcement agency or the West Virginia State Police pursuant to the policies of the law-enforcement agency.

(d) All documentation related to an unresolved missing persons complaint shall be transmitted to the West Virginia Fusion Center by the lead law-enforcement agency. The West Virginia Fusion Center shall retain the documentation until it is provided notice by the lead law-enforcement agency or the West Virginia State Police that the person has been located or the complaint has been resolved.