How do we investigate reports of missing people?
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Throughout last year, our specialist missing person investigation team dealt with more than 12,000 missing reports.
That might be someone you know, a family member, or maybe someone whose picture you’ve seen on our social media.
As well as investigating reports of someone going missing, we’re committed to working with families and our partner agencies to stop it from happening in the first place.
With that in mind, we want to explain how we investigate those reports, and how we try and find people.
What is a missing person?
The nationally accepted definition of a missing person is “anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located and their wellbeing or otherwise established”.
Not everyone who fits that definition will be classed as a missing person though, as adults in the UK have a right to go missing, unless they are under a legal obligation.
But, if they are reported missing to us, we will still make initial enquiries.
How do I report someone missing?
You can report someone missing via our website, or by calling us on 101.
If the missing person is in immediate danger, a young child, or vulnerable to harm, call 999 immediately.
What happens when I report someone missing?
You should hear from us within 24 hours, sometimes much sooner depending on the circumstances you are reporting.
Once that report is made to us, our specialist team will decide if the case is high, medium, or low risk.
If we decide the case is not a missing person investigation, we will explain why and offer support to help you find the right contacts to help.
Do you treat every missing person the same?
We never discriminate in how we treat reports of missing people, but when deciding on what kind of risk the case is, our team will take into account certain factors.
That can be things like the person’s age, physical and mental health, and any potential vulnerabilities.
This risk level is not fixed, and could be changed during the investigation – but it helps us decide what to do next.
Will police put the person I’ve reported missing on social media?
We will always consider the wishes of that person’s next of kin – and if that person is under 18, we will ask a parent or guardian’s permission to use a photograph and share details with the public.
We balance asking for the public’s help through appeals and in the media, with the potential impact on the missing person.
Why do you share missing people on police social media channels?
Publicising the details of a missing person either on our own social channels, or to the media, can be a difficult decision.
For a lot of people, social media is a key source of information, and we know how quickly news and appeals we release on our channels can be shared.
On Facebook alone, our pages have close to 1 million followers – so it’s possible that a missing person’s picture would be seen by someone with key information about them very quickly, massively boosting the chance of them being found.
Our social media appeals can be very helpful to officers, and we really appreciate the public’s support in sharing them.
Do you share all of the details about missing people?
No. As with sharing pictures, we balance sharing certain details with the potential impact on the person involved. We will always aim to share the key facts that will help to find them, such as height, features and clothing. But there are often a variety of circumstances relating to their case which we will not share with the public or media.
Why do you share so many appeals for children that have gone missing?
Every child under the age of 14 is automatically graded as high risk. We still make sure all of the relevant risk assessments are undertaken before sharing an appeal to find them, and we always consider the most appropriate channel through which to communicate.
Do you just use social media to try and find people?
No. Our specialist officers carry out a number of enquiries depending on the case. This can include searches of the person’s home and area they were last seen, and checks of their mobile phone or computer. Officers also review CCTV footage and speak to local people to ask for information. In some cases, specialist searches can be carried out involving police resources like dogs, divers, or helicopters and drones.
What can I do to help find a missing person?
Always contact us with any information you might have about someone who is missing, no matter how small a detail it may be. Please keep helping us by sharing our appeals on social media and with your own personal networks. We rely on information the public gives to us, and your support could help find a missing person.
When is a missing persons case closed?
We will not close a missing persons case until we can confirm where that missing person is and how they are.
Sometimes, if a missing person is determined as wanted, the initial missing case will be changed.