How to file a missing person report.
Filing a missing person report with law enforcement.
Anybody can file a missing person report. Many people think you must be a family member to file a missing person report, but that is incorrect. You should file a missing person report immediately. Waiting a day or two to see if they return on their own is not advised. The most important hours of a missing person case are the first 72 hours. This is when search and rescue crews have the greatest chance of recovering the person alive.
Filing a missing person report triggers a few critical events. The person is entered into NCIC (National Crime Information Center). NCIC is a database shared amongst law enforcement agencies. Once entered into NCIC, if an officer in any city or state comes into contact with the missing person and runs them through the system, they will be flagged as missing. If the missing person is deemed an “at risk” or “critical” missing (I will cover these designations in a different blog post), then a BOLO (Be On The Lookout) will be sent from the reporting agency to all nearby agencies with a thorough description of the missing person and the circumstances of their missing case. If a crime is believed to have been committed in connection to their disappearance, such as a kidnapping, then an APB (All Points Bulletin) will be issued.
As I mentioned at the beginning, anyone can file a missing person report about a missing person, not just family. Law enforcement might try to tell you differently or use various excuses to prevent you from filing a report, but you have the right to file a report if you wish, and they have the duty to take that report. To prove that point, this is a screenshot from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department policies and procedures regarding missing person reports:
Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Missing Person Report Policy and Procedure
Often, a person goes missing because they are under duress. Whether abduction, mental health, Alzheimer’s, autism, runaway, getting lost, or any other reason, search and rescue (SAR) has the greatest chance of finding the missing person and recovering them safely if they are reported missing sooner than later.
You should file the missing person report with the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the area the person was last seen in person. If the last seen location is unknown, then file the missing person report with the law enforcement agency of the area where the missing person lives.
It’s better to file a missing person report and error on the side of caution than blindly hope for the best. Get the resources in motion. At SEARCH, we offer private search and rescue services, private investigation services (some investigation services limited per state), drone pilot services, K9 team coordination, and other assets for helping to locate your loved one. Visit us at www.SearchInvestigations.org or complete the form on our contact page HERE.