Policy updated on 6/28/2024.
Scope
This policy applies to all NCST platform sites including social media and websites.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to set forth the requirements in required for NCST to post missing person information.
Sections
- Posting of information released by Official Agencies.
- Posting of information provided by request of other sources.
- Who can request information be posted?
- What information is required when requesting a post?
- Information from official sources supersedes.
- Updating of missing person information and status of investigation.
Policy
I.
Posting of information released by Official Agencies.
NCST will share posts, flyers, and any other type of missing person information released by official agencies without any further information required. NCST will do this when they become aware of the information’s release.
II.
Posting of information provided by request of other sources.
NCST will share missing person information regarding individuals when provided with information by appropriate sources and NCST has been able to confirm that information with the appropriate agencies.
To ensure that incidents of missing persons are properly reported to authorities, NCST will NOT post any missing person information that has not been reported to authorities.
a.
Who can request information be posted?
While NCST would prefer that a member of the missing person’s direct family request that the information be posted, we will take a request from any person with sufficient information for NCST to confirm with the relevant agency.
b.
What information is required when requesting a post?
The following information is required in order for NCST to confirm with the relevant agency that the missing person has been reported. Please provide as much of the following information as possible to ensure we can verify it as quickly as possible.
- The missing person’s full legal name.
- The missing person’s age.
- The date, time, and location they were last seen.
- The Law Enforcement Agency with which the person has been reported missing. If available please also provide the following:
- The date and time they were reported missing;
- The case number provided by the agency;
- The name and contact information of the Investigator assigned.
To ensure that incidents of missing persons are properly reported to authorities, NCST will NOT post any missing person information that has not been reported to authorities.
If the agency with whom the person has been reported has not provided any public release regarding the incident, the following information is requested for NCST to produce a post regarding the missing person incident.
- A description of the clothing the missing person was last seen in.
- A picture of the missing individual. Please make it as recent as possible.
- Describe the situation of their disappearance. Does the individual have a medical condition that may cause them to be lost or confused or hinder their ability to navigate the world alone?
- Who was the last person who saw the missing individual
- Has the individual been reported missing before? If so, when and through what agency? Where were they located in the previous incident(s).
- Does the individual own or have use of a vehicle and are they believed to be currently in possession of it?
- The year, make / model, and tag of the vehicle associated with the missing person, including any identifying features, i.e. special rims, window tint, stickers, etc.
- Any location that the individual may be thought to be traveling to.
- Any ties the individual may have to the local area, i.e. places they like to hang out, stores or areas they frequent, etc.
- Any other information that may give context to their missing status.
While all the information above may not be immediately available at the time of the person going missing, we request that your provide as much as possible so that we can provide as much factual information to the community and enhance the chance they may be able to help locate them.
c.
Information from official sources supersedes.
The goal of NCST is to provide factual information and in this particular situation to assist the relevant agency in providing the community with information as they execute their investigation.
In any instance where information provided by the relevant agency is in conflict with information provided by other relevant sources regarding the description of the individual, the circumstances surrounding the incident, or the progress of the investigation, the information provided by the relevant agency will supersede all other information provided by other sources.
d.
Updating of missing person information and status of investigation.
NCST will make every attempt to continue to update the community with information released by the relevant agency regarding their investigation into the search for the missing person.
For incidents where individuals are missing for an extended period of time, NCST will continue to post information regarding the incident at a regular interval of their choosing to keep the community aware of the need to be on the lookout for the missing person.