Officer recognised for helping solve long-running missing person cases

One of our officers has been recognised for his work helping to solve some of our longest-running missing person cases.
PC Shaun Reeve, from the Missing Person Review Team, was among this year's winners in the Missing People charity's annual awards.

PC Reeve won the Phil Shakesheff Legacy Award for dedication in missing persons work after helping investigate dozens of West Midlands Police's longest-running cases.

Shaun and his colleagues have helped reduce the number of long-term missing cases from 322 to 79 since 2022.

By carefully examining archive documents and material over thousands of hours, the team re-investigate missing cases dating back decades.

Some of the cases successfully resolved date back to the 1970s up to the present day and the families and friends of the people involved are given invaluable closure and comfort knowing at last what happened.

Shaun said: "This really is a job I love doing as it tests all my skills as an investigator.

"It is of great reassurance to the families of missing people to know that even after 20 or 30 years they are not forgotten about, and we will continue to investigate.

"Two cases are never the same and we always try to keep an open mind about what happened to the person at the time of their disappearance.

"What we often find with some of the older cases is that the person who disappeared simply left the area and started a new life elsewhere - it was harder to keep track of people in the 70s and 80s for instance.
"Sadly there are some cases in which the person did come to harm, either by accident or through being a victim of crime, but it is still the right thing to do to find out one way or the other."

Shaun's supervisor Sergeant Paul Horobin said: "Shaun has worked incredibly hard and thoroughly deserves this recognition.

"The skills he puts to use investigating these cases have also been used to aid live investigations through passing on forensic and source material expertise.

"His work and experiences have changed and developed the way we investigate missing person cases, learning the lessons of the past to develop how we investigate in the future.

"More than just the detailed investigations, Shaun truly cares about his work, and is passionate about finding answers for families who are missing their loved ones. He embodies everything that the Locate Team stands for."

We are continuing to investigate our longest-running missing person cases and recently published a renewed appeal for a dozen people we are trying to find.

Visit https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/news/west-midlands/news/news/2025/december/can-you-help-us-solve-our-longest-running-missing-person-cases/ to see our appeal.

Missing People is the UK charity dedicated to supporting anyone affected when someone goes missing.

They work closely with police forces across the country to ensure that families have somewhere to turn for emotional support, practical guidance, and a safe space to talk.

When officers refer families to them, they can provide specialist support, help them navigate what can be an overwhelming experience, and offer ongoing assistance for as long as they need it.

Police colleagues can signpost or refer families directly to them through their website, where they can access information, request support, or speak to a team through their preferred channel.