Recommendations - West Yorkshire Police, June 2020
Whilst a resident in a childrens home the complainant was reported to police as a missing person on a number of occasions. Police would often take no action to locate her. IOPC have established that she was often graded as "unauthorised absence", which was a category in the force policy at that time which authorised police to not to undertake enquiries to locate the person.
IOPC reference
Recommendations
The IOPC recommends that as a part of the ongoing West Yorkshire Police (WYP) review of its missing from home policy, WYP should consider clearly defining which officer has the responsibility of conducting research of information systems (eg. Police National Computer (PNC), Niche, Corvus etc.) and additionally, that the officer designated to record the initial risk assessment, currently the Hub Commander or Duty Inspector, should record in their risk assessment rationale that they are satisfied with the research undertaken.
This concerns the initial risk assessment of individuals reported to police as Missing from Home (MFH). Rationale should be recorded on incident logs as to why the log is graded at the risk that is applied.
Do you accept the recommendation?
Yes
Accepted action:
I can confirm that the recommendations will be incorporated into the Missing Policy rewrite which is currently ongoing and also how WYP introduces NMM2 as there's functionality and procedural guidance WYP can write into NMM2 and training products that will ensure these key areas of businesses are given due prioritisation.
XXX apologies – I should have asked you first but I shared your recommendations with XXX who is leading on Niche forces – new Misper system NMM2 nationally as some of its key features would support better shift to shift management of the investigation and specifically the supervision by the officers Sgt of the Misper 1 (Initial Misper report/risk assessment). There is functionality that this needs to be signed formally by a supervisor and any change to risk levels/ differences of opinion need to be updated with a rationale. I would also include in training that the Officer in Charge (OIC) or Sgt must speak to the Inspector if there is a change to the risk grading or any information of note has come to light.
The IOPC recommends that as a part of the ongoing West Yorkshire Police (WYP) review of its missing from home policy, WYP should consider directing that once an officer has taken a missing from home report they should liaise with a supervisor to have the risk assessment confirmed.
Ownership of the Missing From Home (MFH) report is important. Active supervision and management of MFH documents ensures appropriate lines of enquiry are identified and conducted and supervision focus is maintained on what needs to be done.
Do you accept the recommendation?
Yes
Accepted action:
I can confirm that the recommendations will be incorporated into the Missing Policy rewrite which is currently ongoing and also how WYP introduces NMM2 as there s functionality and procedural guidance WYP can write into NMM2 and training products that will ensure these key areas of businesses are given due prioritisation.
XXX apologies – I should have asked you first but I shared your recommendations with XXX who is leading on Niche forces – new Misper system NMM2 nationally as some of its key features would support better shift to shift management of the investigation and specifically the supervision by the officers Sgt of the Misper 1 (Initial Misper report/risk assessment). There is functionality that this needs to be signed formally by a supervisor and any change to risk levels/ differences of opinion need to be updated with a rationale. I would also include in training that the Officer in Charge (OIC) or Sgt must speak to the Inspector if there is a change to the risk grading or any information of note has come to light.
The IOPC recommends that as a part of the ongoing West Yorkshire Police (WYP) review of its missing from home policy, WYP should stipulate which supervisor has command and control of a missing from home report. That officer should record that fact on the missing from home report, ensure that an investigation plan is recorded and record who will be conducting the identified enquiries. This recording process should then be repeated at every point of handover.
The ongoing and auditable management processes of the missing from report should be clearly recorded. This will identify responsibility, considerations made and the actions taken.
Do you accept the recommendation?
Yes
Accepted action:
I can confirm that the recommendations will be incorporated into the Missing Policy rewrite which is currently ongoing and also how WYP introduces NMM2 as there s functionality and procedural guidance WYP can write into NMM2 and training products that will ensure these key areas of businesses are given due prioritisation.
XXX apologies – I should have asked you first but I shared your recommendations with XXX who is leading on Niche forces – new Misper system NMM2 nationally as some of its key features would support better shift to shift management of the investigation and specifically the supervision by the officers Sgt of the Misper 1 (Initial Misper report/risk assessment). There is functionality that this needs to be signed formally by a supervisor and any change to risk levels/ differences of opinion need to be updated with a rationale. I would also include in training that the Officer in Charge (OIC) or Sgt must speak to the Inspector if there is a change to the risk grading or any information of note has come to light.