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Initial Report

The reporting party will often make the initial report by telephone. Although this is not within the remit of this handbook the response they receive will set the tone for the operation which follows. The reporting person will want to be reassured from the moment of first contact that their report is being treated with the urgency it deserves. A helpful and grateful relative will prove to be a much more useful one. That relative will have considerable input into the rest of the enquiry.

From the time of the initial report time is of the essence. SEARCH IS AN EMERGENCY. Time must not be wasted. A full scale immediate response may be required – do not delay – lives are at risk.

Initial Information

This is not the time to fill out the initial questionnaire. It is likely that the initial call will be taken by a police call-handler and it is most unlikely that they will have the questionnaire at hand. They will be well trained in obtaining initial information and it is this information which will be available to the search manager or control room supervisor who must then assess the urgency at the outset.

Pertinent information in order to conduct this initial assessment must be obtained and will include the following:

How long missing – The urgency and seriousness increases with the time which has passed since the time of report and time the subject goes missing.

Activity – What was the subject doing? Bird watching in the forest, walking on Dartmoor, coastal walking etc. Where they were and what they were doing may affect the response?

Equipment – What did the subject have with them which could help them cope with the terrain and hazards?

Clothing – What protection will the subject’s clothing afford him/her in the environment in which they find themselves lost?

Is the subject alone – or as a group? There is a certain amount of safety in numbers.

Age – The younger, or older the subject the more urgent the response will be.

Physical description – a basic requirement for any search.

Physical Condition – Does the subject suffer from any physical/medical disability? Do they suffer from a mental illness, are they deaf, do they suffer from speaking problems or are they partially sighted? Any one of these will affect not only the urgency of the search but how it is conducted with which type of resource.

Point Last Seen (PLS) or Last Known Position (LKP) – This is vitally important information and is the point from which all search planning is based. If the subject is reported lost in a vehicle then that vehicle will have to be located by other means/agencies in order to have a starting point for the operation.

Terrain – What sort of search area do we need to consider? This affects the whole planning process and how many searchers we will need.

Weather – The general weather situation needs to be taken into account and the need this needs to be considered in conjunction with the terrain and subject’s ability and condition. It is one of the most critical factors to be taken account of when evaluating the mission facing us. The databases we will be using give us survivability rates and it doesn’t take a genius to work out, for example, that a very elderly person lost in the countryside on a freezing winter night will not survive as long as perhaps in the summer. This affects the urgency.

Why do we need this information?

1.                   Determines the urgency of:

2.                   Where to look and

3.                   How to look.

Evaluation of Information

The search manager needs to evaluate this information quickly and may even want to talk to the reporting person personally. After all, the experienced search manager knows best what questions need to be asked and answered.

The source of the information and the content given in the initial report must be considered in order that the search manager can come to a reasoned decision as to the scenario he faces, i.e. what has happened to the subject, where has he gone?

All this information and the search manager’s initial considerations will determine the urgency of the problem.

To assist in determining the urgency there are five factors to include:

1.                   Subject profile

2.                   Weather profile

3.                   Equipment profile

4.                   Subject experience profile

5.                   Terrain and hazard profile

There are some other factors which will influence the urgency and decision making processes:

·         History of incidents in the area. The search manager should be aware of these, if not he should liaise with local police or search organisations.

·         Time since subject went missing, became lost.

·         Political sensitivity – A VIP may be the missing person, politicians may become involved/interfere, there may be considerable pressure from relatives and the media. There may even be pressure from senior officers for an early result.

Search Urgency Chart

The chart will provide a relative urgency measurement in order that the appropriate initial response can be initiated.

It is better to over-react than to under-react. Over-reaction costs time and resources and perhaps money BUT under-reaction costs lives.

In practice, the search urgency chart will be completed by the search manager when he becomes aware of the initial report. It is hoped that in time control room supervisors will be able to assess the urgency of any search response by utilising the information taken at first report and completing the chart. If search managers or POLSA’s are consulted in the very early stages then they can carry out the assessment. It can be seen, therefore, that the onus of early recognition rests squarely on the shoulders of the initial call takers and supervisors. As the knowledge of the concept grows, so too will the ability to make early and accurate assessments.

Following the receipt of the initial information the search manager must make certain assumptions as to the condition of the subject in terms of their ability to travel and respond to calls. They may be either:

Initial and continuing search tactics will depend on the capabilities of the subject if alive.

The next chapter deals with investigation. It is vitally important that an investigation into the circumstances and subject is commenced urgently. As will be seen the investigation will focus the search so the obtaining of information cannot be delayed. Appoint a dedicated investigator if possible.

DISCLAIMER

This site, whilst created from the perspective of a police officer, is a personal work. It does not necessarily represent the views or policy of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.

The contents of this site are written in good faith, however the author can accept no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage howsoever caused by the use of content from this site.

You may copy and re-distribute content from this site provided the above disclaimer clearly accompanies any copy. The content of this site is the copyright of Michael H Rose and any copies or distribution of the contents must be accompanied with the copyright details and acknowledgement of the author