NCJ Number
117954
Date Published
1989
Length
37 pages
Annotation
California legislation requires that the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training develop guidelines for missing person and runaway cases and implement a course of instruction for law enforcement officers and dispatchers in the handling of missing person investigations.
Abstract
The legislation requires that police and sheriff departments give priority to handling missing person reports over property crime reports. Further, the California Highway Patrol is allowed to take missing person reports if contacted and, in any case, is required to refer the reporting person to the agency with jurisdiction over the missing person's residence and to the agency with jurisdiction over where the missing person was last seen. The emphasis of the legislation is on making law enforcement more sensitive and responsive in handling missing person cases involving both adults and children. This emphasis is reflected in the guidelines and curriculum. The guidelines focus on initial response, followup investigation, and reporting requirements, while the curriculum specifies learning goals and performance objectives for law enforcement involvement in and sensitivity to missing person cases, initial response procedures, methods for locating missing persons, and legal requirements for initial response and followup. Appendixes contain additional information on and forms for missing person investigations. 11 references.