Response to missing person’s report - West Midlands Police, December 2017

On 14 December 2017 the staff of a care home contacted West Midlands Police (WMP) to report that one of their residents was missing. He was an 86-year-old man with dementia. Police searched the property and the local area for the missing man. They carried out checks on public transport, through a CCTV trawl, and made financial enquiries. The man was found dead on the morning of 15 December 2017 in the grounds of the care home, in an area that was inaccessible and not visible from the main garden.

Our investigators reviewed the WMP incident log and missing person log. They also spoke to staff at the care home and obtained a statement from the officer who attended the care home on 14 December 2017.

There is no evidence to suggest police actions failed to find the man sooner or that WMP caused or contributed to the man’s death.

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