T he New York Police Department is often a New Yorker’s first resource for reporting a person missing. Here’s how the NYPD responds to a missing person case, from start to finish, and the best way to seek help.
If someone you know goes missing, you should report a missing person case as soon as possible. Call 911. There is no need to wait 24 hours.
“There is a common myth among the public that you have to wait 24 hours before you report someone missing, but that’s not the case,” said Joseph Giacalone, an adjunct professor of criminal justice at John Jay College and a former sergeant with the NYPD. “The No. 1 biggest problem is that family members wait too long to report a missing persons case. You lose valuable time during those 24 hours.”
The NYPD’s website says that no set amount of time has to pass before you report a missing person case. “Use common sense and specific circumstances,” it says.
When reporting a case, it’s extremely important to provide as much information as possible about the missing person, including his or her last seen whereabouts, places that the person frequents and any friends or relatives that the person may have been in touch with, says Mike Nicoletti, a former NYPD lieutenant. Provide a photo and include a full description of the missing person, including if they have any distinguishing marks, such as scars or tattoos.
“Parents should keep good records of who has been contacted, what information you get out and which detective you’re working with,” said Nicoletti. “If anybody has information, you should report those findings to the detectives so they can investigate.”
Once the NYPD receives a call about a missing person, its response will depend on the circumstances of each case. People who are elderly, children under the age of 13, people suffering from a mental or physical condition, or possible victims of a crime are considered “special categories.” Police consider these populations particularly vulnerable and will immediately take action in searching for the missing person.
However, missing people who do not fall under these categories will not receive as much attention. This is because people over the age of 18 legally do not have to return home.
“Unless we can prove that there was an involuntary disappearance, we just file paperwork,” said Giacalone.
BY ANNAMARYA SCACCIA
Since 1987, the Missing Persons Clearinghouse, housed within the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, works behind the scenes to help investigators and families find the missing. The Clearinghouse provides investigative support services that can often mean the difference between a case being solved or going cold. Read more.
In all cases, the local precinct where the case is reported will handle a case first. If the missing person is not found within a few weeks, the precinct will hand off the case to the Missing Persons Squad, which will continue working on the case.
On special category cases, police will devote as many resources as possible to the search. They may choose to issue an AMBER Alert or a Missing Vulnerable Adult alert to draw attention to the case.
Police can also turn to media publications or their own social media platforms to ask for help. A Twitter account run by the NYPD, @NYPDMissingPer, tweets updates on missing persons cases.
Other agencies can also help. The National Autism Association, for example, recently released a toolkit on how to search for children with autism. The report makes specific recommendations for both parents and first responders.
Police will keep searching for a missing person until they can close the case.
Statistics from the Missing Persons Clearinghouse, which keeps track of all missing people in New York State, shows that the majority of missing persons cases, for both children and vulnerable adults, were resolved within one or two days.
Photo by Levi Sharpe
BY DANNI SANTANA
In 2014, the New York City Police Department launched a social media campaign to include civilians in ongoing investigations, both to catch criminals and find the missing. Commanding officers from individual precincts and specialized units like the Missing Persons Squad oversee the more than 100 Twitter accounts, aimed at raising public interaction with the police. Read more.