Missing Persons

Question 1

What is definition for missing persons?

Answer 1

Many missing person reports involve individuals who have voluntarily left home for personal reasons, while others are unfounded or quickly resolved.
However, there are many instances in which persons disappear for unexplained reasons and under circumstances where they may be considered at risk.

Question 2

Who will investigate missing persons?

Answer 2

Most missing persons cases will be investigated by S2I and/or AFOSI.

However, the preliminary investigation is intended to gather additional information to aid in the search for and location of a missing person.

Question 3

What are some risk factors or information you’d need?

Answer 3

A photo of the person
Last known location
Direction of travel
What’s their medical history
Is the person a minor? If so:
o Is the child under the age of 12?
o Is it likely that the person is missing as a result of abduction by a noncustodial parent?
o Has the child confided in friends or classmates about meeting someone they met online?
o Is it likely the child is a victim of online enticement?
o Is it likely the child is a victim of sex trafficking?

• Is it likely that the person is missing as a result of a stranger abduction?
• Has the person made suicidal threats? Does the person have a history of self- harm?
• Does the person have access to a weapon?
• Is the person missing under known dangerous circumstances?
• Is the person missing under suspicious circumstances?
• Is the person missing under unknown circumstances?
• Has the person been missing for more than 30 days?
• Has the person already been designated as a high-risk missing person by another law enforcement agency?
• Does the person have a pattern of running away or disappearing?
• Has the person been the subject of past threats or acts of violence?
• Does the person have a disability (including, but not limited to, a person having a developmental disability or an intellectual disability or a mental health disability)?
• Is the person in need of medical attention (including but not limited to persons with dementia-like symptoms, or prescription medication)?
• Is the missing person drug dependent, including prescribed medication and/or illegal substances; is the dependency potentially life-threatening?
• Has the person eloped from a care facility, like a group home or nursing home?
• Is there any other factor that may, in the judgment of the law enforcement official, indicate that the missing person may be at risk?