About Us

 John Witherspoon is a Montgomery County (MD) Police Officer and he is currently assigned to the Special Victims Investigations Unit, (SVID) Runaway/Missing/Children’s Division. A 26-year veteran of the department, Detective Witherspoon has been a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force, which also investigates kidnappings, parental abductions, and international abductions, for the past eleven years. Recognized as a subject matter expert, Detective Witherspoon has testified in court testimony in over 75 missing/runaway cases and has investigated over 3500 missing cases in his career. Before this assignment, he served as the School Resources Officer (SRO) in the 6th District, 3rd District, and 2nd District at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School. Witherspoon has also served as a Detective with the Special Investigations Division, Drug Enforcement Section, and began his career in the 2nd District as a Patrol Officer upon graduation as a member of Session 35 in 1998.

Detective Witherspoon has also completed training with the following agencies/organizations: National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, United States Secret Service, Marin, MAGLOCLEN, FEMA, Top Gun Narcotics School, and The University of Maryland School of Continued Education. Detective Witherspoon is a nationally recognized expert in the area of Missing and Endangered Children and has been a featured/guest presenter to the following groups/organizations: Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, Adventist Behavioral Health Stakeholders and Clinicians, Montgomery County MD office of Child Protective Services, Montgomery County School and Community Health Nurses, Maryland Assembly for School-Based Health Centers (MASBHC).

 In 2018, Detective Witherspoon was named by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), as the recipient of the 2018 Missing Children’s Law Enforcement Award. This award was in response to a nationwide request to law enforcement departments to recognize officers demonstrating efforts above and beyond the normal call of duty. John was nominated by his supervisor in response to an investigation involving a runaway juvenile that resulted in her murder by an area gang. The efforts included the recovery of her body, the subsequent arrest and sentencing of 21 individuals involved, and the relocation of her family.

In addition, 2018 Detective Witherspoon established the non-profit organization “Defend our Children.” DOC is designed to assist Law Enforcement and the community with awareness and training in the areas of Human Trafficking and assistance for victims and families of those affected by HT as well as career training assistance to those with learning and developmental delays. 

Detective Witherspoon serves as an Associate Instructor for the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College and was a featured presenter at the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Conference in Las Vegas NV, in April 2022. He also is an instructor for At-Risk Missing and High-Risk Endangered Missing Children with the National Criminal Justice Training Center.

Additionally, In March 2023, Detective Witherspoon was selected by Police Chief Marcus Jones to represent the Montgomery County Police Department on the Montgomery County Human Trafficking Prevention Committee. This position was approved by the Montgomery County Council and is partnered with the Montgomery County Commission for Women. Within this position, Detective Witherspoon has presented on the topic of Child Sex Trafficking to the following:

-Montgomery County Public Schools Administrative Support Team (01/03/2024)

-Montgomery County Public Schools Security Team (03/05/2024)

-National Restaurant Association Executive Board (03/20/2024)

To date, Detective Witherspoon has had the privilege to present to the following venues nationally:

- Investigative Approach to Child Sex Trafficking and High-Risk Victims Child Advocacy Center, September 2022 Lincoln, Nebraska

- Children's Advocacy Center of Bristol County & Bristol County DA's Office October 2022, Boston MA,

- NCJTC Sex Assault Academy, June 2023, Westminster MD

- National Training Institute Conference, September 2023, Boston MA 

- 40th International Symposium on Child Abuse, March 2024, Huntsville, Alabama

- American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 31st Annual Colloquium  June 2024, New Orleans, Louisiana

- The Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, Krimes Against Kids Annual Conference,  July 2024, Orlando Florida

-  NCVC National Training Institute, September 2024, Portland OR

- New York State Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference, September 20224 Saratoga Springs NY