Report a Missing Person Information

Provide the police with information about the missing person. 

To complete the missing persons report, you’ll need to provide detailed information about the missing person’s physical characteristics and last known location. Have the following information ready when you go to the police station to file the report: 

• One current photos of the person
• A list of nicknames or aliases used by the person
• A physical description, including height, weight, age, hair color, eye color, build, etc.
• A description of the clothing and shoes the person was last seen wearing
• A list of possessions the person might be carrying, such as jewelry, glasses, contact lenses, accessories, a purse, a wallet, ID cards, etc.
• A list of scars, tattoos, and other identifying characteristics
• A list of medications the person was taking, as well as allergies, handicaps, and other medical conditions
• A list of relatives or friends of the missing person, along with contact information
• A list of places the person frequents
• A description of the person’s car or a different mode of transportation (a bicycle, for example) if applicable
• A description of the situation surrounding the person’s disappearance

Contact the person’s friends and acquaintances. 

Call the  people in the missing person’s life and ask when they last saw him or her. Determine if they know anything about the person’s whereabouts. Besides friends, family members, neighbors, and classmates, call anyone who had regular contact with the missing person. This may include teachers, doctors, dentists, bus drivers, coworkers, and neighbors.

• Keep a log of the people to whom you’ve spoken and what they had to say about the missing person. Keep it updated with as much detailed information as possible.
• Encourage people to call you back if they find out more information from another source.
• Report new findings to the case worker in charge of your missing person’s case at the police department.

Check with hospitals and coroners in the area.

If the missing person was in an accident, he or she might be in a local hospital and unable to communicate for some reason. Call all the facilities in your area to rule out these possibilities.

• When you make the calls, ask for the missing person by name.
• If no one by that name is on record there, ask if they have unidentified people in their care who resemble your missing person.

Check with your local county jail. 

If the missing person had an encounter with law enforcement that led to an arrest, he or she may be in a local county jail. Check with local law enforcement offices to see if the missing person is incarcerated. You may also be able to check online using the “inmate locator” option on your Miami Dade County Bookings website ( https://florida.arrests.org/index.php?county=8 ).

Check social media sites. 

This is an important way to gain information about the days leading up to the person’s disappearance. Check his or her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other accounts. Determine whether recent activity contains any clues. Look at the missing person’s friends’ accounts as well. 

• Print out correspondence and activity that seems as though it could lead to the missing person’s location.
• Report any activity that might be a clue to the case worker at the police department.