Whether it's a child, adult or an elderly person, when someone is gone and you don't know their whereabouts, it can be one of the most agonizing and helpless feelings you may ever have the misfortune of knowing. The following information is provided so you know ahead of time what to do if a person is missing. If a loved one is missing now and you don't know if you should report it or not, please call now and we can help.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT 24 HOURS TO REPORT SOMEONE MISSING. Time is precious in finding a missing person, especially if they are endangered, and every second counts.

So when is a person considered missing?
Every situation is different, but if you are not sure if a person is missing or just overdue, call and advise us of the situation and we can help determine this for you.

Missing Child
Whether you suspect your child has run away or if the situation suggests foul play, contact our department immediately. Believe it or not, some parents postpone reporting their child missing to the Police because they are afraid of giving their child a "record", and waste precious time in locating their child. By notifying the police, officers are able to keep an eye out for the child and notify you if contact is made.

If a complaint with our department is filed, we will enter the subject into the Wisconsin TIME System, which is connected to all the other agencies, and any officer coming in contact with the juvenile will immediately be alerted that they have been reported missing. Once the child is found, they are removed from the system. There is no permanent record left in the TIME System.

Missing Adult
Anytime an adult is missing and the situation is suspicious or suggests foul play, notify the police right away. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT 24 HOURS.

If you have an overdue motorist, we can notify other agencies on the route of travel and see if they have had contact with this subject.

If an adult appears to have wandered away and you have reason to believe they may be confused or lost and need assistance, we can assist you in attempting to locate them and notifying other agencies, should they come in contact with this person.

Not every adult can be entered into the Wisconsin TIME System, however adults missing where suspicious circumstances are involved, their safety is in danger or their health is at risk can be. There are also other ways to assist you in some cases to locate the adult. If you are unsure if the circumstances warrant a missing persons report, contact our agency and perhaps we can assist in determining this for you or offer suggestions to assist you.

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