New emergency protocols for missing persons, introduced just over a week ago, are already delivering results, with three missing persons cases successfully resolved, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said on Wednesday.
Speaking during an appearance on the Reset Talk Show, the Prime Minister confirmed that the Guyana Police Force has formally ended the longstanding practice of waiting 24 hours before acting on a missing person report. The change, he said, is part of broader reforms sparked by the tragic death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge.
“We’ve already made some changes. On the books, we had this standing operating procedure where 24 hours would have had to pass before you take any major action on receiving a missing person report,” Phillips said.
“As it is now, we have changed that. Immediately on receipt of a missing person report, the police are now obligated to take action… with all the other agencies that will be able to assist — whether it’s rescuing the person or carrying out a recovery operation.”
The revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which came into effect on 29 April, are designed to enable a faster, more coordinated national response to missing persons reports — especially when vulnerable individuals are involved.
Key Reforms at a Glance:
Immediate Response: Police must act without delay on all missing persons reports — the 24-hour waiting period is no longer in effect.
Red Alert for Missing Children: Any child reported missing now triggers an automatic “Red Alert,” activating a national, multi-agency mobilisation.
High-Risk Prioritisation: Reports involving children, elderly persons, or other vulnerable individuals are automatically categorised as high-risk, prompting an escalated response.
Interagency Coordination: The Police Force now works closely with the Child Care and Protection Agency, Immigration Department, health services, shelters, and other key entities to ensure a unified effort.
Public Information: The Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), upon clearance from the Commissioner’s Office, is tasked with sharing verified updates with the public to help generate leads.
Senior Oversight: Daily monitoring and updates on each active case are mandated under the supervision of Divisional Commanders and the Missing Children Protection Unit (MCPU).
According to the Prime Minister, these measures are already showing promise.
“The reform has already started as a result of this incident,” he said, “but of course, there are greater and more strategic things to be done.”
The swift resolution of three recent cases under the new SOPs has been welcomed as a sign that the government is serious about tackling longstanding issues in how missing persons cases are handled. Officials say the reforms are part of a broader agenda to modernise public safety and ensure that no report is taken lightly — especially when lives may be at risk.
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