Response to missing person report - Metropolitan Police Service, September 2018

At 1.09pm on 28 September 2018 a woman contacted the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to report that her partner was missing. A police officer attended at approximately 1.15pm and spoke to the woman. Her partner’s room was searched at 2pm and intelligence checks carried out.

At 2.43pm a missing person report was created and the woman’s partner was deemed to be a ‘medium-risk’ missing person. At 3.38pm a computer aided dispatch log showed that British Transport Police reported that the same man had been struck by a train. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This came to our attention on 1 October 2018 as a Death or Serious Injury referral.

During the investigation, our investigators examined incident reports, the missing person record and body-worn video of police attendance at the man’s home. Our investigators obtained statements from the officers who carried out investigative actions in the case and graded the man as a ‘medium-risk’ missing person. Investigators also reviewed local and national policies and procedures.

The evidence indicated that MPS conducted an active and proportionate missing person investigation, appropriate to the risk assessment. There was no evidence that the police may have caused or contributed to the man’s death.

Based on the evidence available, we were of the opinion that there was no indication that any police officer had behaved in a manner which would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence.

After reviewing our report, the MPS agreed with our views.

We concluded our investigation in March 2019, but waited until the inquest into the man’s death had concluded in summer 2019 before publishing its outcome.