Source · IOPC Learning Case

Response to missing person’s report - Metropolitan Police Service, June 2015

Metropolitan Police Service Ref: 2015/050278 Recommended 31 May 2016 Response due 26 Jul 2016

Death and serious injury

In June 2015 at about 5.30am a man called the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to report his partner missing. He also raised fears she may be held against her will. The call was given an E (extended) grade, which does not require a response within an hour. The information about the concerns her life may be in danger was not recorded or conveyed to police colleagues. At 8.30am a member of the public found the woman’s body. During the investigation …

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Recommendations

4 total

Recommendation 1

It is recommended that the MPS ensure that when a call is graded, risks and vulnerability factors are prioritised over officer response time. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Addressed to: Metropolitan Police Service

Linked bodies: Metropolitan Police Service

Accepted

Force response

Accepted action: Risk and vulnerability are already primary factors in assessing a call and its grading. The increased level of vulnerability (identified) would lead to a higher priority grading.

Recommendation 2

It is recommended that the MPS consider the deployment of officers to an informant’s current location (if they are not at home) when a missing person incident is graded as a ‘Immediate’ or a ‘Significant’. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Addressed to: Metropolitan Police Service

Linked bodies: Metropolitan Police Service

Accepted

Force response

Accepted action: Standard operating procedures are that where a missing person report is immediate or significant graded then a face to face report will be taken from the informant at the informants' location, if this is outside of the MPS footprint then a request will be sent to the police force covering that geographical area to take this report.

Recommendation 3

It is recommended that the MPS consider the need for despatch operators to review the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) when information is acknowledged to ensure that they are aware of the context of the information. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Addressed to: Metropolitan Police Service

Linked bodies: Metropolitan Police Service

Accepted

Force response

Accepted action: When a CAD requires an acknowledgement the Despatch Operators are trained to review any new information placed on the CAD to ensure new risk or vulnerability is not missed.

Recommendation 4

It is recommended that the MPS consider the need to remind despatch operators of their collective responsibility to highlight or challenge the grade of a call if required. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Addressed to: Metropolitan Police Service

Linked bodies: Metropolitan Police Service

Accepted

Force response

Accepted action: This form part of the Despatch Operator training that a target response time grade can be reviewed and when necessary changed where risk has been identified, or the criteria for a grade change are met in accordance with police notice 44/2012.