Policy Text
San Francisco Police Department 6.10
GENERAL ORDER Rev. 06/18/25
Eff. 08/01/25
Page 1 of 5
Missing Persons
6.10.01 PURPOSE
This order establishes policy concerning accepting reports of missing persons, specifies when
continuous searches are required and provides guidance for handling the initial missing persons investigation.
6.10.02 DEFINITIONS
A. Missing Person
1. Any person who is reported missing to a law enforcement agency.
2. Any child who has been taken, detained, concealed, enticed away, or retained by a
parent /family member in violation of the law (Parental Abduction) .
B.
At Risk – Includes, but is not limited to ( PC §14215 ):
1. A victim of a crime or foul play.
2. A person missing and in need of immediate medical attention.
3. A missing person with no pattern of running away or disappearing.
4. A missing person who may be the victim of parental abduction ( PC §277 seq.).
5. A mentally impaired missing person, including cognitively impaired or developmentally disabled.
6.10.03 POLICY
Members shall immediately make an incident report in all cases where a concerned individual
reports a person missing (including telephone reports), regardless of the residence address or
location of the reportee or missing person, the time reported, the age of the missing person, or the length of absence ( PC §14214(a) ).
6.10.04 PROCEDURES
A. Initial Investigation
1. Checklist – Officers conducting the initial investigation should:
a. Confirm the missing person is not currently at:
• County Jail or Juvenile Justice Center
• Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital or any other hospital that the
reporting party identifies.
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• Medical Examiner’s Office
b. Determine whether the person qualifies as an at -risk missing person.
c. Be cognizant of potential crime scene evidence, if applicable.
d. Note the p hysical description, clothing, tattoos, and/or documented identifications
(DMV, SFMUG, School ID, etc.) of the missing person.
e. Determine w hether dental or skeletal x -rays of the missing person are available ,
and the name and contact information of the doctor or dentist.
f. Locate p ossible destinations, places frequented, schools, addresses of friends and
family , and place of employment.
g. Gather i nformation regarding the missing person's electronic communications
devices such as cell phone number, e -mail address, and social media accounts.
h. If available, obtain a current photograph (either an electronic version, hard copy,
or social media image ) and upload it to the incident report.
i. Determine w hether a welfare check was conducted of the missing person’s
residence, business, and/or school and the results of that check.
j. Determine their f amiliarity or frequency of public transportation use.
k. Include any relevant information in the report narrative .
2. Notification – The reporting officer shall:
a. Broadcast a "Be On Look -Out" (BOLO) notification via Dispatch, “on an all,” if
the person is under 21 years of age or if there is evidence that the missing person is at risk, without delay ( PC § 14211(d) ).
b. As soon as practical, notify Department Operations Center (DOC). DOC shall
enter the name of the missing person, and all other required information listed
above , into the CLETS Missing/Unidentified Persons System (MUPS) as
required by the D epartment of Justice :
i. Within two hours for persons under the age of 21 or at risk ( PC §
14211(e) ),
ii. Within four hours for persons aged 21 or older after accepting the report.
3. Outside Jurisdictions – Contact the appropriate jurisdiction’s law enforcement
agency and forward a copy of the missing person report within 24 hours w hen a
missing person report is made in San Francisco but the missing person:
a. Is known to be outside of San Francisco,
b. Was last seen outside of San Francisco , or
c. Resides outside of San Francisco ( PC §14211(g) ).
B. Continuous Searches
1. Criteria – Certain circumstances require an immediate and continuous search to be
conducted , such as:
a. The missing person is under the age of 12.
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• Infants or children in the company of the missing parent/legal guardian
do not meet the criteria unless there is reason to believe that the safety
of the child is in jeopardy.
b. The missing person is a child with no documented or undocumented pattern of
running away or disappearing; the disappearance does not appear to be voluntary;
and the child has had no contact with the reporting party.
c. The missing person is a dependent adult or lacks the cognitive abilities to care for
themselves.
d. The missing person is not able to care for their safety based on contemporaneous
threats of suicide or self -harm.
e. The missing person requires immediate medical attention that if left untreated would cause death or serious risk to their health.
f. The member suspects foul play or believes exceptional facts exist.
2.
Documentation – Officers should document the search in a supplemental report,
articulating the steps that were taken to locate the missing person.
3.
Notification – The officer should immediately notify their supervisor, as well as the
Missing