Low cost brand new custom PC systems from £200.

Rennie Mackintosh Gifts

There are many organisations involved in search and rescue, with considerable experience and expertise amongst them. Search methods and tactics have developed considerably over the last 30 years or so, particularly within the United States and Canada. This expertise ‘crossed’ the Atlantic over 10 years ago and the principles involved in lost person search management in the States and Canada have now been accepted within the United Kingdom and are now being taught by many renowned institutions. Search and Rescue organisations within the UK have rapidly embraced the opportunities presented to them and have adopted the practices of their transatlantic counterparts.  

Voluntary rescue groups in the UK have always been in the forefront of searching, with Police Forces happy to use their expertise and resources. Because of this there has been no real need for the police service to adopt these practices or to train their personnel. There have been far too many ‘more important’ priorities. Lost person statistics have never figured in any ‘league’ tables which all Forces are now subjected to. Resources have been channelled towards these tables and other targets set by Government.

However, many high profile cases and the vision of a number of police officers have led to the recognition that the service as a whole can benefit from the training available from a number of sources. We now have, in many Forces, fully qualified search managers, able to manage complex lost person searches. The benefits of the skills involved are now being recognised and the practical application in the field is providing results.

Many of the courses on offer are provided by profit-making organisations and aimed at voluntary search and rescue groups. Invariably they are ‘generic’ by nature and not specific to any particular area of the country or police force. Mountain rescue skills are of little relevance, for instance, in East Anglia. Many principles of searching are transferable or capable of being adapted to certain areas but the issue of relevancy, or lack of it, is impeding the progress of the concept.

In the same way, Search management handbooks are often too detailed and generic in their content. This can lead to the books themselves being often disregarded due to their complexity.

This is in no way a criticism of other organisations and their teaching methods or their literature. What I have tried to do with this handbook is to simplify its contents and make it relevant to the needs of our own search managers.

This handbook is designed to aid the search manager during the first operational period or phase of the search. Beyond that extra calculations are required which go beyond the scope of this handbook and the search managers for whom it is intended. This is explained in some detail later in this document

All Police Forces involved in lost person searches will need to have their own pre-plan. The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Operational Pre-Plan will contain our own search procedures and will outline our approach to lost person search management and give guidance to search managers in all aspects of operations. It also contains information specific to the problems within our own Force Area.

The handbook and the pre-plan will be periodically reviewed and updated as necessary through operational experience.

It is my hope and intention that this handbook will provide lost person search managers with the knowledge and confidence to perform their tasks and save lives. After all, that is what it is all about.

Michael H Rose

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