The NSW Police Force will establish familial DNA collection centres on the state's South Coast In May following the launch of the pilot program on the Mid North Coast earlier this year.
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The Bega Valley Regional Learning Centre in Merimbula will host the collection on Monday May 3 from 10am until 7pm.
The NSW Police Force announced the establishment of the Missing Persons Registry (MPR) and the implementation of new systems and procedures in July 2019.
Since then they have undertaken a review of all 769 long-term missing persons cases in NSW and identified a lack of DNA profiles.
In February, DNA samples were taken from biological relatives of missing people across Australia.
Missing Persons Registry Commander, Detective Inspector Glen Browne, said that more than 50 family members of missing persons came forward to provide samples to police on the Mid North Coast.
"Our efforts to further missing persons investigations are continuing, and we are once again calling on relatives of any missing person, who reside on or near the South Coast, to consider coming forward and providing a DNA sample.
"Familial DNA samples that are gathered during this program will be uploaded into the Volunteer Limited Purpose Index, where they will be searched against the Unidentified Bodies Index.
"At the same time, interviews will be conducted with family members to capture further information that may assist investigators with ongoing inquiries.
"The team at the Missing Persons Registry are determined to identify these remains and ensure they are safely returned to loved ones," said Det Insp Browne.
Familial DNA samples are provided via buccal swab and are only compared against missing persons databases in Australia.
Merimbula author Melissa Pouliot, whose cousin Ursula Barwick disappeared in 1987 and whose case remained unsolved for 30 years, is a strong advocate for the new program.
She will appear in support on the day of the sample collections in Merimbula.
"I am fully supportive of any changes that will help families of missing people, especially long-term missing people."
