Alaska Member Joins SEARCH Board of Directors

David Schade

Mr. David Schade, Director of the Division of Statewide Services, Alaska Department of Public Safety, joined the SEARCH Board of Directors on December 7, 2012.

Mr. Schade has been Alaska's governor-appointed representative to the SEARCH Membership Group since 2004. He has previously served as an elected member of the Board.

In July 2012, Mr. Schade was elected first alternate to the Board, a position that promotes him to the Board in the case of another Board member's resignation or retirement. This occurred earlier this month due to the resignation from the Membership of Col. Robert Williams, Chief of the Department of Public Safety, Maine State Police.

Col. Williams had served on the Membership since 2007, and was unable to continue serving as SEARCH's Maine representative due to his other commitments. Mr. Schade will fill the remainder of Col. Williams' term, which expires in July 2013.

The 15-member Board, elected by the full Membership Group, provides general oversight and translates corporate goals and objectives into program directives and operating policies.

The SEARCH Membership Group, which governs SEARCH, is comprised of one gubernatorial appointee from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories, as well as eight at-large appointees selected by SEARCH's Chair. This national body of state-level professionals is widely representative of the various disciplines within the justice system, and many are responsible for operational decisions and policymaking concerning the management of criminal justice information, particularly criminal history information. The Membership Group fosters cooperation and communication among justice system professionals in identifying and implementing solutions to common problems.