The Police Use of the Media in Missing Persons Investigations - Essay Example

The Police Use of the Media in Missing Persons Investigations The Police Use of the Media in Missing Persons Investigations Introduction In some instances, individuals go missing. Police officers must establish the reason the person is missing. A missing person is any individual that his or her whereabouts cannot be determined. In those circumstances, the police describe the status of the person as missing until the police know the status of the person with certainty. The police use media in the investigations of the missing person but highly in a controlled manner (Adams & Byrd, 2008, p. 76). Once the detectives receive information of the missing person, the process of detecting the person’s whereabouts begins immediately. The police follow a thorough procedure in the process of investigation. The stage of investigation dictates the type of media used. The discussion of the media usage in each investigative procedure and a critical analysis established from that point forward. Process of Investigation and Usage of Media Acceptance of the call The police receive the details of the missing person in the initial stage. The process does not have greater consideration of media since it just establishing the facts concerned with the missing person. The personnel in the police department will examine on whether the person is alive or only that he cannot be traced (Adams & Byrd, 2008, 102). Depending on the age, the only media that police use at this stage is the social media. An analysis of Facebook or Twitter account reveals the last time the person was available on the social media. If he used the social media currently, it is a clear indication that he might be safe. If from the day the person was lost has never used the social media then that can be a source of suspicion. The police will also try to contact the person using the electronic media, phone, or any other means to establish whether he is available. (Adams & Byrd, 2008, p.102). The primary aim of using media at this stage is to determine whether the person is available or whether he can respond by any means. In addition, to verify whether another person used the media accounts owned possessed by the person. The stage helps the police to gain some skeptic idea of the person who is missing. Initial Contact with the scene At this stage, the police will identify the potential information holders and later consider how to interview the witnesses. The police should interview the witnesses available and the members of the family that the missing person belongs. The parents are highly willing to provide every detail and important documents that can help identify their loved one. At this stage, it is vital to determine the resources required so that police identify the identity of the missing person. First, the description of the person lost is required. The police need to know the actual person that they are finding. The parents provide the description of the person missing. Role of media Revealing identity and identification of close friends At this stage the main idea that the media and specifically the social media can help identify the person actually. The other details obtained from the social media are the close acquaintances of the person missing. The police identify the details of the close acquaintances, located, and interviewed by the police. Sometimes the police may obtain the login details of the social media of the missing person and see the response that will help to know whether people understands of the whereabouts (Geberth, 2006, p.43). The close friends have vital information that even the parents cannot provide. Consideration of the use of media to communicate to public At this stage, police will consider on which means of communication that will be used for communicating information related to the lost person whenever possible communications are made to the public regarding the missing person at this stage. The use of Amber Alert It is an emergency system that is used to communicate to the all the public concerning a missing child that is in an acute condition. Everybody receive the message without serious consideration. The activation responsibility rests with the police departments. There are strict controls on the use of amber alerts and, in fact, there is a unique system of activating and deactivating the media. First, the rationale to use media is justified when police confirm the actual abduction. Second, the person affected is a minor and who is mentally or physically disabled (Geberth, 2006, 76). Third, there must be a serious belief that victimized individual may have suffered physical injury. Lastly, there must be a probability that if the information held by the detectives was communicated to public it would hold to recover the missing individual. Flyer and Posters Distribution Flyers and posters distribution will facilitate the recovery of the individual lost depending on the circumstances that the person got missing. However, the police keenly consider the following factors before flyers are distributed. First, they must carefully control the ways flyers and posters are distributed. Second, the police distribute the missing person’s pictures but they must cover the section from the head to the shoulders (Hess & Orthmann, 2014, 26). Third, the police send some videos that show the lost person and his or her family to the television stations. In addition, the police department will also help the family of the person missing to access media for any advertisement that they feel fit but police must authorize the details on the advertisement. Technology Linked Notification System The USA Department of Investigation maintains a system known as TRAK (Technology to Recover Abducted Kids). The system assists in the investigations of the missing person. It assists to carry out research on the lost person. For instance, the system can carry out research on the photos related to the person who is missing and distribute them through the media. The police distribute the photographs to social media, television stations, newspapers, and the radio stations (Hess & Orthmann, 2014, p.89). Up to this extent, the police had used the media only for the investigative matters but they have now used the media to communicate the details of the lost person. When the information provides information to public through the media, the public members share any relevant information that will help recover the individual who is missing. The departments responsible provide hotline numbers to the public. The public should share the information they feel it is relevant directly to the police through the hotline numbers provided. The members of the public should provide the information even if they need their identity to remain anonymous. Communication to the public during Investigation It is difficult for the police to provide the members of the public with factual information on the progress of the investigations. Police departments believe that they may be communicating their plans to rescue the missing person to an enemy. Therefore, the police do not prefer communicating the progress report to the members of the public through the media. Therefore, the family and individual concerned must seek the investigation details to the police directly (McMahon, 2013, p.33). The person directly related to the missing person find the status of the investigation from the lead investigator. Reporting Responsibilities Once the police obtain every detail in relation to the missing person, it is now a crucial time to ensure full recording of the investigations. Once a report of the person missing has been prepared, it is a requirement that police submit them to the Attorney General office in the department of justice. With the information provided by the public, the investigator is now ready to carry out a full investigation to help bring back the missing individual. The procedure does not demand any use of media (McMahon, 2013, p.120). The main work lies in the fulfillment of investigative procedures using investigative skills. Follow-Up Investigations The procedure involves detailed investigations that relate to the case of the missing individual. The procedure may involve establishing contacts with agency located in the missing person last location. The procedure has an aim to make certain that the process of tracing the missing person. That is, the police must come up with a conclusion concerning the whereabouts of the person who was missing. Communication of the report through the media after finding a missing person, it is important to communicate the achievement made through the media. The media air the report where there was considerable tension among the members of the public. It is important to provide the report through the media if the issue of the missing individual was highly broadcasted through the media and hints from the members of public assisted in the recovery of the individual missing (McMahon, 2013, p.123). The report warns the members of public of any group that is currently kidnapping individuals, for instance. They will be encouraged to provide details concerning that group. Investigative Journalists and investigation on missing individuals Investigative journalists mainly cover the matters that are arising in the society. It is necessary to consider the work of an investigative journalist famous as the investigative procedures of police officers. Nevertheless, they use different approaches especially because they are in the different field, and their work meant for very different purposes. An investigative journalist who investigates on the reasons why people get lost may provide very relevant information that will spearhead the investigation of a current case. Critical assessment of media usage in missing person’s investigations Although the police use media in their investigations, they do not assess the role of media with the great role that the media can play in the investigations. First, the police do not communicate through the media unless it is certain that the public will provide information that will help to recover the individual missing. Second, they cannot communicate their progressive investigations through the media. However, it is justified since the criminal could get the plans of the police through the media and retaliate for the actions (Ritter, 2007, p.12). In fact, the release of information by the police to the media is highly controlled by the strict legislation. Dissemination of information to the media The Family Act and Children Act restrict information release to the media. The laws enforcers are not required to release any information to the public unless the officers responsible fully authorize the release. The Acts that covers the release of general information does not include the release of lost individual’s pictures. It requires the consultation of the media in the circumstances outlined below. First, the person concerned must be a child. Second, establish that the individual cannot return home without assistance. Third, the person must be mentally or physically impaired. Last, the information will assist the individual missing to return home, or members of public facilitate in finding the whereabouts. The law highly control information released to the members of public by police (Ritter, 2007, p.24). When the officer responsible entirely determines that the assistance of the media is required, he should seek permission to a senior officer who will guarantee the authority. In addition, the police release information carefully to the media in order to make certain that there is no infringement of the law. Conclusion It is certain that the police need the support of the media in their investigations. In fact, the police and legislators should not view the media as a negative contributor to the investigations. The police should use media positively to assist in the investigations. It is important to appreciate that there are difficulties associated with the media releases. However, media can contribute a greater part of the investigations. Investigative journalists have already proved the same by releasing some media content that even the intelligence department had never discovered. Nevertheless, it is hard before the government accepts that media and police can produce positive results together. It has already created other media mechanisms like TRAP that help dispatch information to the members of the public. Bibliography Adams, B. J., & Byrd, J. E. 2008, Recovery, analysis and identification of commingled human remains, Springer Science & Business Media. Geberth, V. 2006, Practical homicide investigation: Tactics, procedures, and forensic techniques, Boca Raton, FL: CRC/Taylor & Francis. Hess, K., & Orthmann, C. 2014, Police operations: Theory and practice, Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar. McMahon, R. 2013, Practical Handbook for Professional Investigators, Hoboken: CRC Press. Ritter, N. 2007, Missing persons and unidentified remains: the nation’s silent mass disaster, National Institute of Justice Journal, 256, 7. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/jr000256.pdf Read More