Investigation into police response to a report that a person was missing from home -Northumbria Police, August 2020
Recommendation date: 13 January 2022
Response due: 10 March 2022
Published: 15 October 2022
In August 2020, Northumbria Police received a report that a 15-year-old girl was missing from home. A missing person investigation commenced, with the risk initially graded as medium. Approximately 27 hours after the initial report, the risk was upgraded to high. A number of investigative enquiries and searches were conducted by the police, however, approximately 47 hours after the initial report, the girl was found deceased by a member of the public. IOPC investigators reviewed a large amount of police documentation in relation to the missing person investigation and obtained accounts from 25 police officers. Statements were also taken from members of the girl’s family. A review of the specialist police searches was conducted by the Police National Search Centre (PNSC). Our investigation concluded in May 2021 but we waited for external proceedings to conclude beore publishing our findings. We concluded a sergeant failed to maintain a detailed and accurate …
Recommendations (3)
Recommendation 1
Accepted
Recommendation
The IOPC recommend that Northumbria Police consider expanding the ‘Search Management’ section of the ‘Northumbria Procedure – Investigations of Missing Persons’ document to provide further detail as to the required level of record keeping in relation to both PolSA and … Read more
Force Response
Accepted: The policy and procedure for ‘Investigation of Missing Persons’ and ‘Missing Persons Searches’ have been updated to reflect the IOPC recommendation, including: The requirement to ensure that all searches (PolSA led or otherwise) are fully recorded with the search … Read more
Recommendation 2
Accepted
Recommendation
The IOPC recommends that Northumbria Police revise the ‘Northumbria Procedure – Investigations of Missing Persons’ document to ensure that the following are clear: • Who is responsible for appointing (and communicating) a single point of contact for the family, during … Read more
Force Response
Accepted: The policy and procedure for ‘Investigation of Missing Persons’ and ‘Missing Persons Searches’ have been updated to reflect the IOPC recommendation, including: The importance of ensuring that families of Missing Persons are kept in contact and regularly updated. RPT … Read more
Recommendation 3
Accepted
Recommendation
The IOPC recommends that Northumbria Police update the ‘Investigations of Missing Persons’ procedure to include the consideration of CCTV strategy. This should include consideration of potential CCTV opportunities at the last known sighting of the missing person. Read more
Force Response
Accepted: The policy and procedure for ‘Investigation of Missing Persons’ and ‘Missing Persons Searches’ have been updated to reflect the IOPC recommendation, including: The requirement for officers and supervisors to consider CCTV opportunities and record their CCTV strategies as part … Read more