Missing People Partnership

Enhanced support and assistance thanks to a new partnership between Police Scotland and a leading UK charity.

Last year Police Scotland dealt with more than 37,000 missing people reports.

Today, the charity Missing People and Police Scotland signed a new protocol which will improve the response given to missing person investigations and provide those who do go missing and their families with enhanced levels of assistance.

The agreement between Police Scotland and Missing People is another significant step forward in how missing person investigations are conducted.

Since April 2013, Police Scotland has reviewed all practices and procedures around missing person investigations to improve consistency, co-ordination and monitoring in how officers carry out inquiries.

A strategic assessment of missing people cases carried out by the single service during the first year of operations, established that nearly 37,000 missing person reports requiring investigation were made last year. Those reported missing included young people, the elderly and people with mental health issues. The cost of such investigations was estimated at more than £30 million when all resources were taken into account.

A memorandum of understanding was signed at Tulliallan today ahead of a meeting of Police Scotland's national strategic missing persons group which oversees activity in this area of policing.The agreement formalises the alliance and pledges commitment to a collaborative relationship and an effective response to reports of missing persons.

Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson, the Police Scotland chief officer with responsibility for missing persons, said: 

"The impact on families and communities when people go missing is often immeasurable. Police Scotland has taken the opportunity of moving to a single service to completely review how we conduct missing person investigations to introduce more consistency and co-ordination throughout the country, improving the support that can be offered when people are traced and working with partners to help prevent people going missing in the first place.

"The signing of the memorandum of understanding with Missing People is significant as the police alone are not the only agency involved when someone is reported missing. The charity can offer a wide range of support and assistance and it often helps as it comes from an organisation other than the police."

Superintendent Andy McKay, Police Scotland's National Missing Persons Strategic Co-ordinator, said: 

"As Police Scotland, we are applying methods more commonly used in crime investigations to ensure we have the right information to allow us to trace the person who has been reported missing. Our focus is on keeping people safe. When people are reported missing and their safety is in question, we want to do all we can to ensure they are traced. When they are traced, working with Missing People, we want to provide access to assistance which might prevent them going missing in the future. And of course, we want to work with all of our partners to prevent people going missing at all.

"Across Scotland, we have dedicated missing persons co-ordinators working in divisions to manage cases and standardise investigative approaches to deliver the most professional service possible when we receive reports. The agreement with Missing People represents a significant strategic partnership which will lead to real benefits for those involved in investigations and support for any member of the public who is reported missing."

Jo Yule, the Chief Executive of Missing People, said: 

"I am thrilled to be signing this Memorandum of Understanding with Police Scotland, which paves the way for closer partnership working with Missing People. It will enable us to develop how we work together to search for and support vulnerable missing children and adults; and support the families left behind. Missing People operates a 24/7 free, confidential helpline 116000 and specialist practical and emotional support services for both missing people and families to enable us to be a lifeline when someone disappears."

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: 

"Adults and children who go missing are often vulnerable and at greater risk of harm, and this new partnership between Police Scotland and Missing People is an important step forward that will ultimately enhance the police response towards locating missing people.

"I applaud the vision and commitment of Police Scotland and Missing People to work in partnership in this important area, and I look forward to hearing more about how this initiative is working in practice in the future."

Joe Apps, Head of the National Crime Agency's UK Missing Persons Bureau, said: 
"The more joined-up we can be on this issue the better. Here at the Missing Persons Bureau we have a similar agreement in place with Missing People, which means we are able to jointly deliver the very best service to missing children and adults and their families through publicity campaigns and family support."

More than half of those reported missing last year were traced within 24 hours and a further 40%  were located within seven days.  A high proportion of those reported missing to us were people who had gone missing before and were under the age of 18, or who were considered looked-after or accommodated in terms of their vulnerability.