![Cold Case Program](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20161022012332im_/http://www.ncis.navy.mil/PI/CCP/PublishingImages/cold-case-program.jpg)
"To the living we owe respect; to the dead we owe the truth..." -- Voltaire
The NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit (CCHU), established in 1995, was the first dedicated federal-level cold case homicide unit. The unit's investigation methodology and protocol was developed after extensive research and analysis, and has been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for quality and excellence. The NCIS CCHU has three major areas of concentration:
- Focus on unresolved murder cases involving the Department of the Navy: 61 cases resolved since 1995.
- Assist other law enforcement agencies with their investigations of unresolved homicides.
- Train federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies in NCIS cold case methodology; representatives from more than 60 agencies worldwide have been trained to date.
Cold case resolution depends on a combination of factors, to include advances in technology and the tenacity of investigators. Additionally, a close working relationship with other investigative agencies, federal and state prosecutors, forensic scientists, and the victim's family members are critical factors in a cold case unit's success.
Those interested in contacting the NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit about an investigative matter should email them at: ncistipline@ncis.navy.mil