Charlie’s career in law enforcement started in Thames Valley, then to Centrex and the NPIA, writing national guidance on missing persons before moving to the UK Missing Persons Bureau. He joined CEOP and the NCA as head of the Missing Children’s Team, resigning in 2015 to set up Charlie Hedges Advisory, a consultancy relating to missing persons. 

In the 26 years that he has specialised in missing persons, he has worked in many countries improving the way we respond to this issue. Notable projects include the creation of the international Police Expert Network Missing Persons, many publications, including detailed guidance on risk assessment, the Search Dog Heroes project relating to missing persons living with Dementia and creation of the Missing Persons Information Hub and chair of the Trustees of Locate International. He has a specific interest in making the Herbert Protocol as effective as possible, the reason for joining Safe and Found Online.