A cause for concern

Speaker 1 (00:02):

Hello, and welcome to ‘Cambs Cops: Our stories’, concern for people and missing from home reports represent a significant slice of modern policing, but behind the stats, there are stories of real people, some ending in tragedy, but others joyful reunion. In this episode, detective inspector, Nick Cook speaks about the highs and lows of investigating, missing people while experienced control room supervisor, Malcolm Graham explains how concern for person calls so often for, to police even when they shouldn't.

Speaker 2 (00:33):

Hi, my name's, uh, Nick cook, I'm a detective inspector. And, um, when I'm in my position as, uh, duty S I O duty D for the day, I will be responsible for managing all the high risk, uh, missing people that are reported. Um, if I'm night crime, then I'll deal with the whole force. Um, if I'm duty down south or north, the missing people that are reported in that particular area.

Speaker 3 (00:56):

Thank you. What is the first thing you do when a missing person call comes

Speaker 2 (01:00):

In as a duty detective inspector, I'm notified of all high risk missing people and in all missing people inquiries. My, my first thoughts and considerations of a high risk missing is is this a, a homicide investigation. The guidance says for us to think murder and to, to start at that level upon discussion with the officer that that should have done their initial and basic inquiries, which is to search the house that they live in for the person. And, um, to make sure that there's no obvious, um, signs and find them quite easily. Our, my next priority and thoughts are, is to save life and prevent harm or further coming to that person. Um, what are the circumstances what's been done so far? And what can I bring from the investigative options that are available to me and resources that I've got to find this person or secure proof of life that proves to me that they're not they're, they're not missing.

Speaker 2 (02:00):

I'll speak to you about the hypothesis we go through. There are many variants of missing person inquiries. Are, are they missing? Have they died? Are they being held against their will? Have they been abducted? Is it a kid? And the rules for those, those kind of inquiries change dramatically. The basic definition from a missing person though, is anyone who's, whereabouts cannot be established and will be considered as missing until located and their wellbeing or otherwise is confirmed. As a DI. My working hypothesis from the murder manual is, you know, is this person missing under the influence of a third party or following a criminal act? Are they lost ill or incapacitated? Are they missing voluntarily and do not want to be found? And mine? Uh, my experience, I always had the, the following one, which is, are they genuinely unaware that they've been reported missing? We have people who go on holiday and don't tell people that they're going. Um, so they are genuinely unaware that they're reported missing.

Speaker 3 (03:04):

What are some of the most common reasons someone goes missing?

Speaker 2 (03:07):

The most common reasons? I, I would say on a, on a, on a daily basis throughout your shift are, are more often presently and it's, and it, and it, and it's, it's very topical or mental health crisis people trying to escape their life. We've, we've gone through a, a unique situation with pandemic. Um, and people are, are, are unable to cope with, with being isolated. Um, the, the other side of things are, are the, the juveniles that are, um, exploited criminal exploited or, or sexually exploited. But we, we live in Cambs and it's a very safe county to live in, but we do have people that are murdered and we do have people that commit suicide. And, you know, I'd like to say that one brush foot's all, but we start murder and we work back, we start murder. We, we start at suicide, we start at death and we work back and we seek all opportunities to establish that proof of life that allows us to stand down the necessary resources to find these people. But if it's high risk, we would put as many resources are, are freely available to establish the whereabouts of that person.

Speaker 3 (04:17):

How does it feel when you find someone who is missing?

Speaker 2 (04:19):

Well, it depends how busy we are, and it depends how we found them. Really. I've been on duties as a duty where we've had nine high risk missing events on Friday evening, where competing demand is it is what we deal with on a daily basis. So it does depend on how we found them finding a missing person. That's deceased may bring closure if they've been missing for a long time. However, finding someone who is alive can also add an additional heartache to the informant or the family members. If that person's an adult, because some missing people do not want to be found. And our obligation as police services defined people alive and well, not necessarily to update the person who's missing them, where they are. And that makes our role quite challenging because, uh, we are the bearer of good news, but not the news that they particularly want.

Speaker 2 (05:16):

Agony messages are, are always horrendous, have been, um, been involved in, in, in some missing events where we have, we have found the person deceased and it, it does bring a conclusion to it, but it, but it's, it's nonetheless, uh, doesn't make it any easier. It it's, it's, it's a difficult subject. There are many, like I said, there are many variants to it. And when someone's found deceased in a missing person inquiry, regardless how the founder there, there was no winners in that. Um, but we, we try to be professional in, in everything we do, uh, and deliver messages, um, sensitively.

Speaker 3 (05:53):

Thank you. Do you have any memories where you've tracked down a missing person?

Speaker 2 (05:58):

I, I would say missing children is the, um, is the one where you get the, the most reward from in my, from my perspective in especially where there is a battle between parents or, or a breakdown of a relationship between parents. Um, we've had families where the 12 year old boys deciding to hitch hike out of county, which, which poses all kinds of logistical difficulties in finding, finding that boy. And he was found four counties away having travelled for se for several hours and found, found by members of public. So finding, finding that little, little lad on a, on a Sunday, when he went missing on Friday and, and he was alive and, and, and well, it just goes to show you the, the ingenuity of children and how they can get about, and sometimes being blissfully unaware and picking up a, a child and trying to help them by taking them somewhere.

Speaker 2 (06:50):

You take them other anywhere other than a police station. You, you'll never going to be sure that they, they are okay after you drop them off. And I think that there is a phrase that officers can be often criticised for, which is, I think they appeared quite street wise. Well they're children at the end of the day. And, and I'm afraid children, children dying, missing events. And that is as tragic as it could get, because there is a breakdown and a, and a, and a disconnect between someone looking after them. So fi I would say, find finding those children on two separate occasions where he managed to run away from school and get all the way to, to dad's four counties away. Though those made my weekend because they, they literally dominated my shift and, it stands out and it's recent and it still ongoing. Um, and I'm, and I'm still taking that forward with social care.

Speaker 3 (07:40):

Thank you. That's a lovely story. Is there anything else you'd like to add while we're recording that we've not already covered?

Speaker 2 (07:46):

No. I think from a police office perspective missing people are like, like we said before, we started recording, I would say from a duty ice perspective, it's 90% of what, what we deal with on a, on a, on a, on a duty. I say quite often there are numerous missing people and what, what we try to not try not to dismiss them and try not to downplay a missing person, especially children, because, oh, they'll be home later attitude. Unfortunately, when they're not starts to analyse how it's been dealt with to start with, and, and we've got the building blocks of every investigation and the first one says, save life. If you can save life, find that child as soon as possible, find that vulnerable adult as soon as possible. Um, and find, um, evidence the clues are there. We're all investigators, police officers are all investigators, whether they're in response or C I D and the first respondent officer, the clues are where that person have gone, will be in the address or there'll be digital footprint. And it's a question of finding them and not just waiting for me as a duty DI to come in and say, have you looked here? Have you looked there? There's plenty of guidance, uh, around, we're always here on the phone to, to, to speak to, um, and put those calls in early for help, if you are unsure. Thank you.

Speaker 4 (09:05):

Uh, my name is Malcolm Graham. I'm a control room supervisor.

Speaker 3 (09:10):

What is the definition of a course for concern and how do you deal with one

Speaker 4 (09:14):

Concern for welfare call is essentially what it sounds like it's, uh, where somebody is concerned for the welfare of somebody else. The call handler has to identify it as concern for welfare or amongst various call types that there are, um, sometimes they can be overlapping call types. So a violence incident might incorporate within it a concern for welfare. Um, and it's up to the call taker to make a decision as to what the primary call type is. Um, they then having decided that having gathered the information they have to grade it, uh, according to our grading policy, to help them think through the issues that are raised in the call and decide how urgent it is, how serious it is and arrive at a grade, um, haven't graded it, they send it, send it, they transfer it through computer magic, to the control room who find an officer, a resource to send to the job according to its grade and according to competing priorities. Um, and the officer goes, um, and deals with it.

Speaker 1 (10:24):

And that's all for this episode of Cambs Cops, Our Stories, we hope you found it interesting and maybe useful. Should you ever need to contact us with concerns for someone you can contact us online for our website or call one oh one, always call 9, 9, 9 in an emergency. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. So you don't miss the next instalment.

Thank you for listening.