Prompt action shall be initiated in order to locate a missing
juvenile or adult or to identify any unidentified person.
Law enforcement agencies shall undertake any other immediate
action required to maintain order and protect the public.
Follow-up investigative personnel shall conduct a thorough and
timely follow-up investigation.
Investigators shall complete investigative reports documenting
the facts and circumstances of the investigation.
FOR MISSING PERSON INCIDENTS:
As soon as a juvenile or adult is reported missing, pertinent
information and identifying characteristics regarding the missing
person shall be entered immediately into the National Crime
Information Centers missing person files. (NCIC)
A File 6 (NJLETS) teletype messages with all available, pertinent
information regarding the missing person shall be broadcast
concurrently with the entry into the National Crime Information
Center Unidentified Persons File. The teletype shall be broadcast
on a statewide basis and expanded as the need exists.
In addition to a General Police Incident Report, the Missing
Person Report for NCIC Record Entry shall be adopted as the
standard document for the collection of specific information
regarding a missing person in accordance with Federal Bureau
of Investigation - National Crime Information Center guidelines.
The New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Report Written Documentation
Form shall be used as appropriate. This document is available
for reproduction from the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons
Unit.
The Missing Persons Investigation Packet entitled "Missing Person
File, Data Collection Entry Guide" should be used to organize
data collection and to collect additional information from the
family of the missing person and other appropriate information
sources during a missing person's investigation. This document
is available from the Federal Bureau of Investigation - National
Crime Information Center.
Upon the return or locating of the missing person the record
shall be immediately cleared from the National Crime Information
Center missing persons file. (NCIC)
A File 6 (NJLETS) teletype message shall be broadcast immediately
regarding the return or locating of the missing person.
It is the responsibility of each entering agency to clear NCIC
entries and update NJLETS File Messages upon the return or location
of a missing person.
FOR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON INCIDENTS:
In the case of Unidentified Persons, living or deceased the
National Crime Information Center Unidentified Persons File
shall be utilized as soon as the individual identifying characteristics
become available which are necessary for the basic file entry.
A File 25 (NJLETS) teletype messages with all available, pertinent
information regarding the Unidentified Person shall be broadcast
concurrently with the entry into the National Crime Information
Center Unidentified Persons File. The teletype will be broadcast
on a statewide basis and expanded as the need exists.
In addition to a General Police Incident Report, the Unidentified
Person Report for NCIC Record Entry should be used as the standard
document for the collection of specific information regarding
an unidentified person.
The Unidentified Persons Investigation Packet entitled "Unidentified
Person File, Data Collection Entry Guide" should be used to
organize data collection and to collect additional information
from other appropriate sources during an unidentified persons
investigation.
This document is available from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- National Crime Information Center.
When an unidentified person is identified, the record entry
shall be immediately cleared from the National Crime Information
Center Unidentified Persons File. (NCIC)
A File 25 (NJLETS) teletype message shall be immediately broadcast
regarding the identification of the previously reported unidentified
person.
It is the responsibility of each entering agency to clear NCIC
entries and update NJLETS File Messages upon identifying the
previously unidentified person.
FOR MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS
Law enforcement agencies engaged in a missing or unidentified
persons investigation shall contact the New Jersey State Police
Missing Persons Unit and other appropriate law enforcement agencies
for assistance as required.
Where a crime or other unlawful act is suspected, law enforcement
agencies engaged in a missing or unidentified person investigation
shall work with the county prosecutor in developing the case
for criminal prosecution as appropriate.
Referrals to the county prosecutor's victim/witness services
coordinator shall be made as appropriate.
Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Programs shall be conducted
regarding missing persons issues as appropriate.
VIOLENT CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM
(VICAP)
The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), established
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a nationwide data
information center designed to collect, collate and analyze
a variety of violent crime information. VICAP provides all law
enforcement agencies reporting similar patterns of violent crimes
with the information necessary to initiate coordinated multi-agency
investigations.
In cases where investigation reveals that a missing person or
unidentified person has been a victim of a violent act, use
of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) should
be explored.
Information regarding the VICAP Program is available from any
local Federal Bureau of Investigation Office or by writing to
VICAP Program, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, 22135.
