Australia - National Missing Persons Week

Missing Persons Week: Where are they?

Aug. 4, 2014, 5:38 p.m.

MONDAY marked the start of National Missing Persons Week raising awareness of the impact of losing a loved one.

Victoria Police recorded there were 8462 missing person reports across Victoria for 2013/14.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said the week helped jog the memories of people who may have vital information.

"When a loved one, family member or friend disappears without explanation, it causes significant heartache for the families involved," Mr Fontana said.

"We know that some people don't want to be found."

"If you can help, please contact police."

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2463512/missing-persons-week-where-are-they/?cs=80

National Missing Persons Coordination Centre

Campaigns




The NMPCC organises a range of date specific and ongoing of campaigns every year to raise awareness of missing persons in Australia. NMPCC campaigns include community service announcements and messages which target those most likely to be affected by or become a missing person. The NMPCC also proactively targets existing events to extend the reach of our communication messages.



Major NMPCC campaigns include:

•National Missing Persons Week - first full week in August

•International Missing Children's Day (Global Missing Children's Network) - 25 May

•Day for Daniel (Morcombe) - last Friday in October

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/awareness/campaigns.aspx

Media Release: National Missing Persons Week 2014 – Dementia and Missing Persons: Learn how to prevent these words appearing in the same sentence

Release Date: Monday, August 04 2014, 08:26 AM

Alzheimer’s Australia National Ambassador Ita Buttrose will accompany Australian Federal Police (AFP) Acting Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close to launch National Missing Persons Week (NMPW) 2014 in Canberra today (Monday, 4 August 2014).

This year’s campaign will focus on elderly people and those with memory loss who go missing. The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) has partnered with Alzheimer's Australia to raise awareness in the community of the links between dementia and missing persons.

Approximately 35,000 people are reported missing to Australian police every year. This is equivalent to one every 15 minutes.

For every person reported missing at least 12 other people are affected whether it is emotionally, physically, psychologically or financially.

Alzheimer's Australia National Ambassador Ita Buttrose said ‘safely home’ programs can help people living with dementia walk safely by providing rapid and accurate identification if they get lost.

“Safely home programs are just one way that enables people living with dementia to remain living at home for longer. It provides peace of mind in the instance that if someone does go missing, there is a way for them to be easily identified,” Ms Buttrose said.

“We welcome the AFP’s focus this week on people with memory loss including dementia; congratulate them on the work they undertake day to day.”

Acting Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close said anyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or educational background, may face the issue of someone they know becoming a missing person.

“We all have a role to play in looking out for the welfare of people we know, and helping to prevent them from becoming a missing person.”

For information about National Missing Persons Week, or to find out more about initiatives, including the ‘Safely Home’ program running in each state and territory please visit www.missingpersons.gov.au.

Those interested in contacting Alzheimer’s Australia should visit www.fightdementia.org.au.

Media enquiries:
AFP National Media (02) 6131 6333

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...lease-National-Missing-Persons-Week-2014.aspx

Missing persons posters

The NMPCC produces a bi-annual national missing persons poster which is is published in March and October each year. The posters are distributed to State and Territory Police Services, search organisations, community services, and other organisations for public display. If you would like to display missing persons posters in your organisation, please contact the NMPCC.

If you believe you may have seen a missing person, please submit a sighting report. Information can be treated confidentially upon your request.

The NMPCC regularly updates these posters as missing persons are located. The most current version of each poster is available by visiting this page.

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/posters.aspx

'Remember' Missing persons and dementia awareness campaign

In 2014 the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre will focus on raising awareness within the community of the links between dementia and missing persons. Each year the NMPCC builds their awareness messaging around one of the key groups in the community most at risk of going missing.

The link between dementia and missing persons

Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a group of illnesses which cause a progressive decline in a person’s mental functioning. It is a broad term, which describes the loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normal emotional reactions.

Symptoms that may cause someone to go missing include forgetting well-known people or places, an inability to process questions or instructions, and emotional unpredictability.

The rate of moderate to severe dementia among Australians is one in 15 people over the age of 65. As our population ages, people who are at risk of going missing as a result of dementia is a growing concern.

What can I do to help?

If you are a carer of person suffering from dementia who may be at risk of wandering and going missing, consider whether registration in a safe return program, an ID bracelet or other means of identification may be suited to your situation.

The NMPCC also encourages the carers of people with Dementia to consider ways to help those suffering from this illness. This year, the NMPCC has developed a range of merchandise specifically targeted at carers and dementia sufferers, with the theme of "Remembering".

For more information on Dementia and Missing Persons, please view the following NMPCC factsheets:

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en... persons and dementia awareness campaign.aspx

Iirc at one time free phone calls were made available for people who had disappeared to ring their relatives. I just can't remember how it was done. But it was connected to missing persons. And lots of runaways took the opportunity to ring home and say they were o.k.
It took quite a few names off the missing list.

Missing persons; how they get found and what you can do to help

August 03, 2014


EACH year the population of a small city goes missing in Australia.

They vanish, seemingly without a trace, leaving their friends and family panicking about what could have happened.

Have they been abducted? Murdered? Are they lying injured in a ditch somewhere? Could they have committed suicide or have they just taken off, not wanting to be found.

These are the sorts of questions officers in the Missing Persons Unit grapple with on a daily basis.

National Missing Persons Week has been officially launched today, to recognise missing people who have been found, to remember those who are still lost and to gather information to bring them home.

In New South Wales alone there are more than 200 calls a week. Most are solved easily but each one needs to be taken seriously. There are 35,000 people reported missing each year.

http://www.news.com.au/national/mis...u-can-do-to-help/story-fncynjr2-1227011779852

Aussies vanish without a trace

August 3, 2014 12

SOMEONE DISAPPEARS. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Sergeant Cath Borton told news.com.au the first few hours someone was missing were valuable and it was important to gather as much information as possible.

One of the biggest misconceptions about missing people was you had to wait 24 hours to report someone missing.

It’s something probably gleaned from US crime shows but was a myth, Sergeant Borton said.

When the missing persons report is made the investigating officers will be on the lookout for anything suspicious, unusual or out-of-character that could explain why someone is not where they should be.

Firstly it will be the mundane but necessary details — and here is often where there will be a vital clue.

http://m.news.com.au/TopStories/fi11966302.htm

Profiles of missing persons -

Victoria

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/missing-persons/profiles/vic.aspx

Australian Capital Territory

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/act.aspx

New South Wales

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/nsw.aspx

Northern Territory

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/nt.aspx

Queensland

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/qld.aspx

South Australia

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/sa.aspx

Tasmania

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/tas.aspx

Western Australia

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/wa.aspx

Overseas

http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/en/missing-persons/profiles/overseas.aspx