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Policy 316Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentMissing Persons - 1Missing Persons 316.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides guidance for handling missing person investigations. 316.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: At risk - Includes but is not limited to (Penal Code § 14215): •A victim of a crime or foul play •A person missing and in need of medical attention •A missing person with no pattern of running away or disappearing •A missing person who may be the victim of parental abduction •A mentally impaired missing person, including cognitively impaired or developmentally disabled Missing person - Any person who is reported missing to law enforcement when the person's location is unknown. This includes a child who has been taken, detained, concealed, enticed away, or kept by a parent in violation of the law (Penal Code § 277 et seq.). It also includes any child who is missing voluntarily, involuntarily, or under circumstances that do not conform to their ordinary habits or behavior, and who may be in need of assistance (Penal Code § 14215). Missing person networks - Databases or computer networks that are available to law enforcement and that are suitable for obtaining information related to missing persons investigations. This includes the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), the Missing Person System (MPS), and the Unidentified Persons System (UPS). 316.2 POLICY The Santa Ana Police Department does not consider any report of a missing person to be routine and assumes that the missing person is in need of immediate assistance until an investigation reveals otherwise. The Santa Ana Police Department gives missing person cases priority over property-related cases and will not require any time frame to pass before beginning a missing person investigation (Penal Code § 14211). 316.3 REQUIRED FORMS AND BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE COLLECTION KITS The Crimes Against Persons Commander, or his/her designee, should ensure the forms and kits are developed and available in accordance with this policy, state law, federal law and the California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Missing Persons Investigations guidelines, including: •Department report form for use in missing person cases Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Missing Persons Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentMissing Persons - 2•Missing person investigation checklist that provides investigation guidelines and resources that could be helpful in the early hours of a missing person investigation (Penal Code § 13519.07) •Missing person school notification form •Medical records release form from the California Department of Justice •California DOJ missing person forms as appropriate •Biological sample collection kits 316.4 ACCEPTANCE OF REPORTS Any member encountering a person who wishes to report a missing person or runaway shall render assistance without delay (Penal Code § 14211). This can be accomplished by accepting the report via telephone or in-person and initiating the investigation. Those members who do not take such reports or who are unable to render immediate assistance shall promptly dispatch or alert a member who can take the report. A report shall be accepted in all cases and regardless of where the person was last seen, where the person resides or any other question of jurisdiction (Penal Code § 14211). 316.5 INITIAL INVESTIGATION Officers or other members conducting the initial investigation of a missing person should take the following investigative actions, as applicable: (a)Respond to a dispatched call as soon as practicable. (b)Interview the reporting party and any witnesses to determine whether the person qualifies as a missing person and, if so, whether the person may be at risk. (c)Notify a supervisor immediately if there is evidence that a missing person is either at risk or may qualify for a public alert, or both (see the Public Alerts Policy). (d)Broadcast a "Be on the Look-Out (BOLO) bulletin" if the person is under 21 years of age or there is evidence that the missing person is at risk. The BOLO should be broadcast as soon as practicable but in no event more than one hour after determining the missing person is under 21 years of age or may be at risk (Penal Code § 14211). (e)Ensure that entries are made into the appropriate missing person networks as follows: 1.Immediately, when the missing person is at risk. 2.In all other cases, as soon as practicable, but not later than two hours from the time of the initial report (34 USC § 41308). (f)Complete the appropriate report forms accurately and completely and initiate a search as applicable according to the facts. (g)Collect and/or review: 1.A photograph and a fingerprint card of the missing person, if available. Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Missing Persons Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentMissing Persons - 32.A voluntarily provided biological sample of the missing person, if available (e.g., toothbrush, hairbrush). 3.Any documents that may assist in the investigation, such as court orders regarding custody. 4.Any other evidence that may assist in the investigation, including personal electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, computers). (h)When circumstances permit and if appropriate, attempt