W. Va. Code § 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.