Neil Smith

After dedicating over a decade to serving as a police officer in a UK police force, Neil has spent the past 20+ years as a full-time investigative researcher, locating crucial intelligence & evidence online for various clients, including insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, and journalists. Currently responsible for delivering OSINT-accredited training for the University of Central Lancashire Master’s Course in Cyber Crime, Neil showcases his expertise in the field. He has trained hundreds of investigators, primarily from law enforcement but also from local authorities, insurance companies, private investigators, and journalists, on leveraging the Internet as an investigative tool.

Neil also regularly speaks at conferences and events worldwide on topics such as 'Open Source Intelligence' and 'Using the Internet as an Investigative Tool'.

In 2016, Neil co-founded Qwarie to expand the provision of OSINT research and training to clients globally. Under his guidance, Qwarie developed a team of full-time in-house researchers and trainers to deliver OSINT & Cybercrime courses internationally but he stepped down from Qwarie in 2020 to help spend more time with Locate.

As a Co-Founder at Locate International, Neil now focuses on developing their Open Source Intelligence training package for research volunteers and to directly contribute to investigative efforts. His extensive experience and expertise are invaluable assets in advancing our mission to resolve missing persons cases through innovative approaches to intelligence gathering and analysis.