MONTANA MISSING PERSONS PRESENTED BY MT DEPUTY ATTORNEY

MONTANA MISSING PERSONS PRESENTED BY MT DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL MELISSA SCHLICHTING & MISSING PERSON CLEARINGHOUSE MGR JENNIFER VIETS JUNE 12, 2019

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES House Bill 20: Requires filing of a missing child report in cases of custodial interference if the whereabouts of the involved child are unknown. House Bill 54: Establishes time requirements for filing missing persons reports 2 hours for persons under 21 8 hours for persons over 21

1 ST AGENCY CONTACTED TAKES A MISSING PERSON REPORT • Under 21 – Enter in NCIC within 2 hours • Over 21 – Enter in NCIC within 8 hours • NO WAITING PERIOD It only takes basic information to enter a missing person into NCIC: Name Date of Birth Sex Race Height Weight Eye Color Hair Color Date of Last Contact Add photo, more info later… See NCIC Missing Person Report Form

WHAT TYPE OF MISSING PERSON? Interview/Evaluate/Determine Required Response • ENDANGERED? - Life threatening… • INVOLUNTARY? – Kidnapping/Non-custodial • JUVENILE? – Lost child/Runaway • DISABILITY? – Dementia patient • CATASTROPHE VICTIM? - Fire, Flood, Earthquake victim • OTHER? – Does not match other categories • DOES THE CASE QUALIFY FOR A PUBLIC ALERT? 4

• Reasonable belief by law enforcement a child has been abducted/disappeared under suspicious circumstances • Child is 17 or under or has mental/ physical disability • Law enforcement believes child is in imminent life-threatening danger • There is enough descriptive information about victim, suspect, or abduction to issue alert To Request an AMBER Alert – Call (406) 444 -2800 5

Act Fast! Photos are critical! AMBER Alerts are Statewide Need phone number for public to call… MT DOJ will send poster to agency for approval Multiple resources used to alert public: • Code. RED / IPAWS Cell Phones • MT National Weather Service/EAS • MT Broadcasters Association • MT DOT Road Signs/511 • MT Lottery – over 900 sites • NCMEC 6

2018 AMBER ALERT REPORT • 161 Alerts nationwide involving 203 children • • 60% Family abductions – threat to life of child 35% Non-family abductions – 42 stranger abductions 4% Lost, injured child 1% Endangered runaway • 11 still missing, 7 located deceased • Breakdown by Race • 36% Black, 33% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% Bi-racial, 3% Asian, 1% Indian 957 Children rescued due to AMBER Alerts since 2003 7

MT AMBER ALERTS IN 2018 • Christopher Getsdownoften – May 21 st 0729 hrs – 0900 hrs 1 yr old American Indian male with medical issues taken by non-custodial father in mother’s stolen vehicle Tip came in, child located safely, father arrested • Rhiannon Mc. Guire – Nov 8 th 1313 hrs – 1423 hrs 12 yr old White female taken by non-custodial bipolar mother Cell phone ping on child’s phone led to Missoula location Child located safely, mother arrested 8

NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTAL ABDUCTION • If child’s whereabouts are unknown, must take missing person report • If parent is a threat to the life of child, request an AMBER Alert • Enter missing child in NCIC within 2 hours • Use Involuntary category and enter the abducting parent as a Person with Information • Be sure to enter vehicle data if you have it 9

MEPA Missing Endangered Person Advisory • Adult or a Child • Missing under unexplained, involuntary, suspicious circumstances. • Believed to be in danger (age, health, mental/physical disability, environmental/weather conditions, potentially with a dangerous person) • Info released to public to assist in recovery MEPA’s are often limited to a specific geographic area No IPAWS cell phones Media has discretion on broadcasting MEPA 10

MEPA Missing Endangered Person Advisory • Silver alert /Green Alert/ Ashanti Alert already covered by MEPA Kay Yaskus was safely located in Ravalli County 7/2018 • 2018 – 25 MEPAs – 1 deceased • 2017 – 22 MEPAs - 1 deceased • 2016 – 19 MEPAs - 2 deceased 11

MT Missing Person Clearinghouse Support law enforcement & families New Missing Person Specialist coming soon Share Resources & Pass along Tips Oversee NCIC entry / Monitor public website Offline investigative searches Launch AMBER Alerts & MEPAs Network with other state clearinghouses POC for NCMEC & NAMUS POC U. S. Dept of State Hague Convention requests Public education & outreach Call anytime for assistance - 406 444 -2800 12

MT Missing Persons Website https: //dojmt. gov/missing-persons/ Here is how it works… Your agency takes missing person report & enters a record into NCIC Missing Person File via CJIN copies your NCIC entry and uploads it into the MT Missing Persons (MMPS) database MMPS database connects to website to provide real-time information 13

Thank you for your time and attention. If MT DOJ can be of any service to you, please contact us. . . Jennifer Viets, CJIN Program Manager MT Missing Persons Clearinghouse (406) 444 -2800 24 x 7 (406) 444 -2483 Office JVIETS@MT. GOV HTTPS: //DOJMT. GOV/MISSING-PERSONS/