NCJ Number
207011
Date Published
September 2000
Length
62 pages
Annotation
This report contains California's guidelines and a training curriculum for recruit and inservice police officers and dispatchers for the handling of missing persons and runaway cases.
Abstract
The material presented reflects the provisions of new State laws pertinent to missing and runaway persons that became effective January 1, 2000. There are four significant changes that reflect new legislative mandates. First, local police and sheriffs departments must broadcast a missing person bulletin without delay if the missing person is under 16 years old (formerly 12 years old). Second, State requirements regarding the handling of missing persons are operative unless the governing body of the local agency adopts a resolution that expressly makes the State requirements inoperative. Third, agencies responsible for the investigation of a missing child must inform the school district, other local educational agency, or private school in which the child is enrolled that the child is missing. Fourth, local law enforcement agencies are authorized to establish a process for informing schools about abducted children. Eight of the guidelines for handling missing-person and runaway cases pertain to the initial response, and three guidelines govern the conduct of the follow-up investigation. Five guidelines address the taking of reports regarding a missing person. The outline for the training course encompasses the following main topics: benefits for law enforcement involvement and sensitivity, initial response procedures, locating missing persons, and legal requirements for initial response and follow-up. Appendixes contain supplementary information that includes missing-person classifications, a list of resource agencies and organizations, sample forms, and relevant legislation.