Meet our advisors
International Investigative Advisor
International Investigative Advisor
Valentine Smith APM
"My goal is to do what I can to lift the bar of quality in investigative response to missing person investigations across the world. My role is to be the investigative advocate for those that are missing in getting others to listen and respond. It is all about communication, which is all part of investigative thinking."
BUSINESS
Footprints In The Wilderness
SUMMARY BIO
Valentine Smith is a veteran investigator with a long history of interacting with various police and investigative agencies across the globe. His police background started in 1968 with the Australian Air Force, and was followed by a tour of duty with the Commonwealth Police Force. For over fifteen years he was at the fore-front of the Crime Stoppers program worldwide and was one of the key players in developing and leading its operational focus in major successful projects, including working in France with Interpol, alongside various international police agencies.
Valentine has also spent over ten years working as an investigator and consultant in the educational, government and private sector focussing on areas of illegal, unethical and corrupt behaviour. He also has extensive experience in working with whistleblowers, and consequently the sensitive management of information.
Woven into and supporting Valentine’s resume of experience is over fifty years of law enforcement experience covering uniform, detective and management roles in metropolitan, squad and rural positions as well as management of larger multi-station portfolios and wilderness type areas. For the last twelve years Valentine has dedicated considerable time towards understanding the causes and influences surrounding missing person cases and identifying the gaps in agency or other investigative responses to those cases.
Valentine is also the co-founder of www.footprintsinthewilderness.com.au a project dedicated to the field of Missing Persons with a special interest and a unique understanding in cases within a bush/wilderness setting.