Though it is not a policy just yet, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) has announced that officers will no longer wait 24 to 48 hours before launching an investigation into missing persons reports. The search for missing individuals will begin as soon as the reports are made.
For years, the standard procedure required police to wait before launching formal searches or investigations into missing persons. However, this practice has faced growing criticism, especially in cases where timely intervention could have prevented harm.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Luke Defreitas explained the rationale behind the change: “What we’ve embarked on recently is to start an immediate investigation when these reports are made. You would have heard in the past some horror stories of the police saying to the public, we have to wait 24 hours or 48 hours before we launch. We’ve basically now… advised to cease this practice, especially having listened to the circumstances leading to the alleged disappearances.”
Defreitas acknowledged that many of the missing persons cases involve young people, and that some are connected to personal struggles, such as difficult family situations. “A lot of the time, these cases involve young persons, and sadly, many of them are linked to issues at home. But, we’re grateful that a number of these individuals have been found and returned safely,” he said.
Under the new protocol, he says police will also release information about disappearances through their press office and work closely with families to organise search parties when necessary. Defreitas emphasized that the police are taking these reports seriously and want to act quickly, as the sooner they respond, the better the chances of finding missing persons alive and safe.
The change in policy comes after a growing recognition that delays in responding to missing persons reports have led to tragic outcomes.
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