Police response to missing child....

advent1122

My sisters 12 year old daughter was supposed to return home by 7pm after out playing.
At about 9pm after phoning everyone she knew, she went out looking for her in all the local hangouts, which then took the time up to 10pm.
She was frantic by now and went to the local police station and rang the bell, a policeman answered and my sister told him her daughter was over 3 hours late home and she has never been this late before.
The policemans response - - - - - - - - -
I am sorry this station is closed, you need to phone it through.
Totally speechless....


When she went back home her daughter was there.
Where she had been or what she had got up to is not important but surely the policeman should have done something - even if it meant him phoning it through to another station.

dmg24

Could she not just have rang 999?

advent1122

dmg24 wrote: »

Could she not just have rang 999?

She went to the police station while she was searching.

HugoSP

The best thing to have dome would have been to take her inside, phone another police station and let her give the details straight to the person on the other end of the phone.

That way the missing person's report could have been made quickly there and then.

I'm glad your niece is safe anyway.

moonrakerz

We have exactly the same problem. This officer was undoubtedly filling in his paperwork, and couldn't be distracted by something so mundane as a missing child.

BUT, the force website says:- "Deliver a quality service to the public which is accessible, visible and reassures".

I am afraid I have totally lost faith in the police, they are being VERY badly led by the senior officers and the politicians.

Here is something to ponder: If a policeman is so good that there is NO crime on his patch the general public would think that this officer is the best thing since sliced bread.
However, he will fail to meet several of his "targets" by not arresting x people per month or issuing y tickets - therefore in the eyes of his management he has "failed to perform". This could well cost him pay rises !

Is it any wonder kids get arrested for throwing a sausage at someone ?

dmg24

advent1122 wrote: »

She went to the police station while she was searching.

But as they were shut, could she not have just rang 999? Then she could have made a report straightaway, and someone that was on duty could have dealt with it.

pulliptears

Labman wrote: »

Hold on, as a 12 year old, where she has been and what she got up to is important....do you really know where she was & what she was doing?

Advent means it's not important to this thread and not something she/he wants to share with everyone I think.

savemoney

Glad to hear she is safe. My police force charge you on a 0845 number if you ring them for none emergency and they are 50 miles away in a call centre so much for local service

melancholly

did she physically see a policeman or was it via an intercom? i've been to my local one after it shut and somehow connected to a different station to report a crime. taking her in and speaking to her may not be an option. i'm not saying that justifies a really uncaring attitude though - i'm glad everything was ok in the end.

hollydays

I could imagine that was a horrible response to be given when you are sick with worry,perhaps she should have said "no,i wont ring it in,you deal with it" as it happened it was ok in the end,but thats no consolation at the time.I think I would have given him some "advise" and it wouldnt be printable.

pulliptears

Labman wrote: »

We are getting the info. second hand from the girls Aunt....I imagine Police get these calls 100's of times about 12/13/14 year old girls. As a parent I'd be finding out where my daughter was & dealing with that, rather than complaining about the Police.

And Im sure all that was done, but after the event and when it's all done and dusted you would sit down and question why the police didnt seem to be of much use.

I think I would also be pretty angry at the attitude of the desk sargeant as well, it wouldnt have taken any effort for him to get on his radio and ask for a car to be sent to the house. 12 year old girls do not go missing with such regularity that you can afford to be flippant, and this child was 3 hours late.

As a parent I would be worried sick if my 15 year old son was that late, let alone a 12 year old girl.

Whether the information is second hand or not the facts seem to be that a 12 year old was 3 hours late and the police didnt seem interested, where she had been and what the family did about it are frankly neither yours or my concern.