JACKSON, Tenn. – We spoke with representatives from the Crockett County Sheriff's Department to learn what to do when a person goes missing and how law enforcement goes about finding them.
We spoke with Crockett County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Stephen Sutton about what happens when someone you know goes missing.
“They conduct an investigation into this missing person case, they are entered into the NCIC, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is contacted, all law enforcement agencies, you know, depending on your county's plan, but law enforcement begins a search, you have a BOLO issued, you know, be on your guard,” Sutton said.
This is how law enforcement will respond, but what can next of kin, caregivers, or parents do to assist them in their efforts?
“Well, one of the things I think is most important is to have a plan and be prepared. You know, we don't think about it happening to us. We think about it happening to everyone else’s families, but we don’t think about it happening to our family,” Sutton said.
For parents or caregivers, Sutton recommends the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s “Kidkit,” or Carekit.
These are printable PDF files on their website that you can fill out with relevant information to assist law enforcement in their search.
The TBI recommends making regular updates every six months.
Sutton said this tool could be crucial to a missing person case.
“If you have that information at your fingertips, it will say, “Here’s everything you need, it’s described,” and that certainly closes the window. “The search begins to find that person so they can return to their family or loved ones,” Sutton said.
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