The SAPS in Bloemfontein encourages the public to immediately report a missing person at the nearest police station – stressing that there is no waiting period required to report a missing person.
The police encourage families, relatives and friends to keep recent photos of their loved ones.
Photographs are essential in the search for missing persons because they provide an accurate, immediate visual reference that enables the public and law enforcement to identify, track and locate individuals.
“The person who makes such a report will be asked to provide a clear recent photograph of the missing person,” explained Col Mamiki Moeketsi, provincial police spokesperson.
“The police official attending to the reporter will complete a SAPS 55 (A) form for two important reasons: to safeguard the organisation from hoax reports, and to indemnify the SAPS to distribute the photograph(s) and the information of the missing person.”
Required information when visiting a police station to report someone missing is:
■ a recent photograph;
■ a full description which details name, age, height, hair and eye colour, scars or tattoos; and
■ information on who they were last seen with.
The person reporting a missing person must be able to give a complete description of the missing individual: his or her last whereabouts, clothes that they were wearing, as well as any other additional information that can assist the search team.
A contactable number can greatly assist in locating the missing person. People are therefore encouraged to ensure that family members’ phones always have the location setting turned on. They could also consider installing a tracking app on a phone to assist in the event of a disappearance.
The person making a report will obtain the investigating officer’s contact details so that there can be constant communication on new developments in the search.
“When the missing person is found or returns voluntarily, the investigating officer and the search team must be informed so that internal processes can be concluded,” said Moeketsi.
