submit an application to search for a missing person by contacting any police department. The location of the latter does not matter in this case, nor does the place of residence of the person being put on the wanted list. If all formalities are met, the necessary materials will in any case be sent to the direct contractor.
You should know that it is strictly prohibited to refuse to accept such an application; it must be registered immediately. There are also no time restrictions for filing such an application.
During the application process, a conversation with the applicant is required, during which any information that may be useful is clarified. Such information may include:
- telephone numbers where you can try to reach the missing person;
- where the missing person was last seen, what he looked like and what he was wearing;
- IMEI of mobile phones;
- document numbers, if available;
- addresses of loved ones;
- information about hobbies and habits;
- information about work, social circle; the circumstances in which the loss occurred;
- special signs - tattoos, scars, consequences of injuries, etc.
When to call the police
The disappearance of a person or child is usually considered to be their sudden disappearance. For example, the husband has not returned from work, and the phone is unreachable. Or the child was returning from school, but did not come home and it was impossible to reach him by phone. In such cases, you should immediately contact the police .
Attention! Some people think that it should take 3 days, however, this is a myth. A report of a missing person to the police is accepted immediately; there is no need to wait any period of time from the moment of disappearance.
If the police refuse to accept a statement, this is a serious violation. Call 102 and explain that the duty officer does not accept the application, he will be punished. Also complain to the prosecutor's office or go to another police station. Please note that not only relatives of the missing person, but also work colleagues, close friends, and neighbors can contact the police.
A missing person's report to the police is accepted immediately; there is no need to wait for any period of time from the moment of disappearance
Where do people go?
There can be many reasons why a person goes missing. But law enforcement officials identify two main ones.
Criminal. Usually associated with a person’s professional activity, business, or an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances. This could be kidnapping for the purpose of obtaining money, murder and concealment of the body, slavery. Unfortunately, such stories are possible not only in films, they also happen in real life.
Non-criminal. In this case, the person himself leaves home and disappears. After some time he may be found alive. There are cases when missing people are found in monasteries, sects, or after some time they return from abroad, where they go without informing their loved ones and relatives. And there are also tragic situations when missing people in Russia or abroad disappear forever. To this day, the fate of the film crew of Sergei Bodrov, who disappeared in the mountains during the filming of the film, is not known. Hundreds of Russians are missing after the tsunami and floods in Thailand in 2004, where entire families went on holiday. These are just well-known facts, while there are much more less high-profile cases.
“There was a case in my practice,” says lawyer Roman Goncharov. “I was contacted by a client whose mother lived in the country and stopped communicating. Neighbors reported that there was no one in the house where she lived, no one was opening the door. While the client was solving his work issues and found time to travel to his dacha in the Vladimir region, we alerted the entire district police department, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and contacted the “Lisa Alert” search and rescue team. In the end, it turned out that his mother did not disappear, but simply went to live in a monastery. In the house she left a letter to her family and the address of the monastery, where she was later found alive and well.”
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Such situations are more likely an indicator of the lack of normal relationships between relatives. Lonely pensioners, feeling unnecessary for their children and grandchildren, may decide to go to a monastery or move to a nursing home. As a rule, such stories have a happy ending - people are found.
As in the case when a person is not inclined to warn his family about his plans for weekends or holidays, but likes to relax well and for a long time. There are often situations when, having met friends or a cheerful company, the merry fellow goes on a multi-day spree. His family is worried, calling morgues, filing a statement with the police. The missing person is found after some time, often returning home after being detained by the police.
“In Russia, one of the reasons why people disappear is mass ignorance of their rights,” continues lawyer Roman Goncharov. — If a person is detained by law enforcement officers, for example, for drinking alcohol with a cheerful company, he must be given the right to make a telephone call. This must be done no later than three hours from the moment of arrest. It is important to know your rights in order to at least warn your loved ones about your arrest.”
According to official statistics, out of ten missing people, seven are found alive, two are found dead, and one is never found. If a missing person dies, their body may remain undetected for a long time. And his documents can be used by strangers.
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Procedure for filing a missing persons report
First, you should collect all the data : the place where the missing person was last seen, what he looked like, what he was wearing, any little details in his appearance (tattoos or piercings, scars). All this needs to be written down and several photographs of this person attached.
Next, fill out a statement and take it to the police. You can call the department, employees register the appeal. When the document is submitted, you will be provided with a registration number. Also take the details of the employee who accepted the application.
Then the police can begin initial actions , for example, inspect the place where the missing person was last seen, talk to neighbors/relatives/friends/colleagues, open his correspondence on social networks and email.
You don’t have to limit yourself to submitting an application. It's better to continue collecting information. It is advisable to call all hospitals and morgues in the city. Also try to create a chain of events: when the missing person left, where he was, when he disappeared. If possible, request call details, check all the numbers that called him and who he called. The collected data must be provided to the police.
Application structure and sample
Important! You can submit an application to any police department, regardless of your registered address.
It does not matter whether there is enough information about the missing person. The police department is required to accept the application in any case, and refusal is a direct violation of the law.
The structure of the document is as follows:
- First comes the header, located in the upper right corner. There you should indicate from whom the application is made and to whom, the police department, and the applicant’s address.
- Under the header, in the middle, it says: “Statement.”
- A description of the situation, specific information about the missing person and a request to begin searching for him are provided. Everything needs to be presented clearly, to the point, and concisely. Try to provide as much information as possible about the person you are looking for. Based on this information, the police will begin search activities.
Other ways to find a child
There are initiative groups and volunteer organizations involved in searching for missing people.
In all regions there are small initiative groups searching for missing people. You should definitely contact them. also volunteer organizations operating throughout Russia, for example, Lisa Alert. She is searching for missing children.
Algorithm of actions
Algorithm of action in the event of a missing child:
- First, find out the numbers of his friends and call them, also contact relatives.
- Open his pages on social networks, check his email.
- Contact the nearest police department if previous recommendations have not given a positive result.
- Collect information about the city's hospitals and call each of them.
- One of the relatives or friends must stay at home, the missing person can return home.
- Walk around the house and the path he supposedly took to get home.
- If there is a problem in the family, the police need to report it. Sometimes children are afraid to go home. One of the relatives could also take the child.
How to find a missing person yourself?
After contacting the police, it is recommended to do the following:
- Personally call the missing person’s entire social circle to find out where he is.
- Check the home, personal belongings of the lost person, try to remember any oddities in his behavior recently.
- Check all possible routes of a given citizen.
- If a child goes missing at reporting stations, you must immediately contact an information alert or security officer. Ask for an announcement over the loudspeaker. If a child disappears directly inside public transport, you need to contact the station duty officer and the police to check whether he left the transport at one of the stops along the route.
- After more than 6 hours have passed, it makes sense to use the help of a private detective. The service is not cheap, but it is highly effective.
Adviсe
Let's summarize all of the above and reflect them in the form of tips and recommendations for searching for missing people:
- When a report is made, demand that the police act. A missing person is serious, every minute matters.
- Contact the cellular company and request details of the calls of the person you are looking for. This will help in his search.
- Don’t hesitate to contact volunteers. Thanks to them, about 25% of missing people are found.
- Be as active as possible for 48 hours. During this period of time, missing persons are most often found. Do your best.
- Do not distract police officers and volunteers from their work. If they are busy searching for a missing person, your constant calls with questions will only distract them. If details become available, you will be contacted.
When a complaint is made, demand that the police act
Reasons for disappearances
Most of the “lost people” are people leading an immoral lifestyle. It is normal for them not to appear at home for several days - new friends, or the thirst for the next “dose” cloud their minds. It is this category of citizens who are at risk, because their loved ones do not always immediately seek help. Other reasons:
- Medical - a person may be suddenly “grabbed” on the street, passers-by will call an ambulance and the victim will be taken to the hospital. Another option is that the person suffers from mental disorders or memory loss (for example, people with senile dementia). In this state, they may find themselves far from home and not even remember information about themselves: name, address.
- Criminal - murders, attacks (anyone can become a victim of a robber or street hooligans), kidnappings.
- Intrafamily conflicts - quarrels, or the desire to leave home (this is often characteristic of adolescents during puberty).
- Ideological motives or political views.
Reasons for disappearances
In particular cases, the reasons may be mixed: for example, if one of the biological parents kidnaps his child from his adoptive mother and father.
