SEARCH welcomes Captain Matthew T. Patterson as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s new representative to the SEARCH Membership Group.
Capt. Patterson is Division Commander, Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS), Virginia State Police. He was appointed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, effective December 7, 2020.
The CJIS Division oversees operations state operations involving:
- National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (Nlets)
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
- Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN)
These systems provide criminal justice agencies throughout Virginia with rapid access to local, state and national files related to wanted or missing persons, stolen property, including motor vehicles, escapees, hazardous material spills, severe weather conditions, and airplane crashes.
CJIS also operates the Central Criminal Records Exchange, Sex Offender Registry, Missing Children Information Clearinghouse, Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and the Firearms Transaction Center.
The previous SEARCH governor-appointee from Virginia was Capt. Thomas W. Turner (ret.), who served as a SEARCH Member for 16 years, including service as Vice Chair and Chair of the SEARCH Board of Directors.