Procedure to report a missing person
What exactly should be done by the SAPS when a member of the public visits a police station to report a missing person?
The following procedures must be followed:
The reporter must not be persuaded by the supposed 24-hour waiting period because there is no waiting period to report a missing person.
“In fact, it is imperative that the SAPS start the investigation as soon as possible to ensure that a possible crime against the missing person is prevented,” said the police.
The police officer must immediately take a statement from the reporter.
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The statement will be taken whether the reporter is in possession of the missing person’s photograph or the missing person was in a different policing area or not.
“Cases of children under the age of 18 years must immediately be handed over to a detective.”
An entry will be made in the occurrence book to record the full particulars and contact details of the person reporting the case, the date and time of the report, full particulars of the missing person and the date and time when the detectives were informed of the incident.
The investigating officer has to, upon receipt of the case docket, interview the reporter and visit the place where the missing person was last seen.
The officer has to further interview the person who last saw the missing person and obtain a detailed statement from that person or any witnesses and make inquiries in the immediate vicinity where the person went missing.
The officer is also required to establish if the missing person had a cellphone, the service provider must be requested through section 205, to assist with tracking of and location of the cellphone.
Inquiries should also be made at hospitals, mortuaries, police stations and correctional facilities.
If the missing person has a bank account, the banking institution must be approached to establish if the account has been active during the period they went missing.
All community groups and metro police have to be mobilised to assist with the search and should be provided with adequate information on the person.
If the missing person is found alive a statement must be filed in the inquiry docket reflecting where, when, by whom, under what circumstances the missing person was found and if a crime was committed against the missing person.
If the person is found and he or she is dead, a SAPS 92 form must be completed and sent to the provincial office of the bureau for missing persons and if the missing person cannot be traced the docket can be closed but reopened every six months for further investigations until the missing person is traced.
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