Missing persons
The Calgary Police Service (CPS) is committed to thoroughly and efficiently investigating all missing persons. Below you will find important information and resources about reporting missing persons in the City of Calgary.
Who to contact to report someone missing:
If someone you know is missing please call 403-266-1234 to make a report. If you believe that they are at imminent risk of harm, please call 911.
CPS receives an average of 3800 missing persons reports a year. Prior to reporting someone missing, CPS asks that you please:
- Check/search their place of residence.
- Check with family members and friends/acquaintances of the person to make sure they have not made other plans.
- Check with local hospitals.
- Check with school/employer of the person.
- Check places that the person frequently goes to.
- Check/identify their Social Media Accounts.
It is important to note that police will begin a missing persons investigation with a focus on where the person was last physically seen because this is the location from which the police may be best able to collect information or evidence from. Although CPS will accept missing persons reports that should be received in another jurisdiction, it is recommended that you report the missing person to the police agency where he/she was last seen. This avoids delay in gathering information, compiling a report, and transmitting that information to another agency.
How long should you wait to report someone missing?
You do not have to wait a set time to file a missing persons report (i.e. 24 hours, 48 hours).
Those in an individual’s social circle, such as family, friends, and coworkers, tend to be the first to notice when regular routines and patterns have changed. A key factor police use to determine if a person is missing or not is whether this is out of character or unusual for that individual.
The Calgary Police Service Missing Persons Program
CPS has had a Missing Persons coordinator/investigator since 1957. The coordinator/investigator is responsible for the maintenance, investigation, and coordination of missing persons files. Our Missing Persons Team (1 Sergeant, 3 Constables, and 1 Analyst) conducts daily reviews of all new reports, and ongoing review of active and historical cases.
The Missing Persons Team:
- Reviews and monitors all outstanding missing persons reports.
- Investigates and/or coordinates long term or high-risk missing persons reports.
- Provides assistance and guidance to members of the Service in relation to the investigation of missing persons.
What happens in a missing persons investigation?
Investigation begins with the completion of the Dispatch Assessment by the call-taker in Calgary 9-1-1 (call centre). The urgency of resources deployed will depend on the assessed level of risk for each reported case. The standardized Dispatch Assessment tool is a risk assessment process developed by the Missing Persons Team. To determine a missing person’s risk of imminent harm, agencies ask key questions to determine whether an individual is at a higher risk due to circumstantial or behavioral factors; physical and/or mental wellbeing; lifestyle choices; or, environmental conditions. For example, we take into account the missing person’s:
- Age
- Physical health, mental health, and competency
- Emotional state (e.g. suicidal)
- Lifestyle factors and vulnerabilities – e.g. addictions/gang involvement/ sex trade and exploitation
- Circumstances – out of character/suspicious/dangerous
- Prior involvement with police
- Environmental conditions (e.g. severe weather)
The Dispatch Assessment is then reviewed by a CPS officer and is attached to the Missing Person occurrence report so that it is available to investigating officers. The Dispatch Assessment ensures a structured approach to evaluating the basic facts of the case and provides an objective measure of the risk of harm to the missing person. It is through the subsequent investigation that we determine the number and variety of resources to be deployed and informs prioritization for investigative follow-up.
What is the solve rate for missing persons cases reported to CPS?
Since 2010, the CPS has received over 40,000 missing persons reports. The CPS solve rate is 99.9%. Most missing persons are located within 24 hours.
For more information on missing persons in Canada:
Please see the following websites for information on missing persons across Canada and resources for families and friends of missing persons:
For more information on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA, please see the following websites:
The CPS Diversity Resource Team actively works in partnership with Calgary’s diverse communities. The team’s specialized knowledge and relationships can help obtain successful resolutions to investigations or any other incidents which include missing persons investigations. For further information, please see the following website: https://www.calgary.ca/cps/community-programs-and-resources/diversity-resources/diversity-education.html
If you know where a missing person is, or you have any information about a missing person, call the CPS Missing Persons Tip Line at 403-428-2250 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.calgarycrimestoppers.org.