Missing Persons

Question 1

What are the three risk levels of missing persons?

Answer 1

Low Risk
Medium Risk
High Risk

Question 2

What constitutes a low risk missing person and what is the required police response?

Answer 2

• Risk of harm to the subject or public is assessed as possible but minimal
• Proportionate enquiries carried out to ensure individual has not come to harm

Question 3

What constitutes a medium risk missing person and what is the required police response?

Answer 3

• Risk of harm to subject or public is assessed as likely but not serious
• Requires an active and measured response by police and other agencies in order to trace missing person and support the person reporting

Question 4

What constitutes a high risk missing person and what is the required police response?

Answer 4

• Risk of serious harm to subject or public is assessed as very likely
• Almost always requires immediate deployment of police resources

Question 5

What information helps you decide risk level for missing persons?

Answer 5

• Personal factors
• Circumstances relating to the disappearance
• Influences on the person’s life

Question 6

When is a missing person not necessarily a Missing Person?

Answer 6

• Wanted / Missing
• Tracing lost relative / Concern welfare
• Homelessness
• Children’s schools and care homes
• Immigration
• Medical care / Mental health AWOL
• Domestic maids
• Cabin crew
• Abducted

Question 7

What power is given in Section 46(1) of the Children Act 1989?

Answer 7

The power to remove a child to a safe place if an officer has reasonable cause to believe they would otherwise be likely to suffer significant harm

Can only be considered once a child has been found, not before

Question 8

Who do you need to notify if you use you powers under Section 46 of the Children Act 1989?

Answer 8

• A duty officer
• Local authority
• Child
• Parents / carers

Question 9

Where must a person suffering mental disorders be for you to enact your powers under Section 136 of the Mental health Act?

Answer 9

In a place where the public have access

Question 10

What is a prevention interview and its purpose?

Answer 10

Will explore the circumstances surrounding why the person went missing and implement appropriate safeguarding measures so it does not happen again.

To ensure the person returning is safe and well, whether there was a crime against or by the person, opportunity to find out more information

Question 11

What are the rules of a prevention interview?

How / When

Answer 11

How:

• Via liaison with subject
• Via liaison with professional
• Face to face

When:

• Within 24 hours
• Within 1 hour for high risk