Missing Persons Policy Ad Hoc Committee

The Missing Persons Ad Hoc Committee is tasked with reviewing and updating the OPD's missing persons policy, to ensure that it is in line with the standards of constitutional policing and evolving community values. The resulting policy will be presented for review and approval to the full Police Commission, with the intent that it be formally adopted as the guiding policy for the investigations of missing persons by the OPD.

About the Ad Hoc's Public Hearing

The Ad Hoc Committee held a public forum on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. The intention was to share an overview of the Committee's work and progress, hear directly from subject matter experts and invite members of the public to review and weigh in on the draft policy the Committee has put together.

You can watch the recording and read the transcript of Michelle Lazaneao's Committee synopsis.

• Transcript of the synopsis from M. Lazaneo(PDF, 41KB)

Get involved

Police policies are designed to provide the rules, guidance and instruction for Oakland's police officers to do their duties.

We'd like to hear from you. Click on the link to review the draft policy and weigh in and share your ideas, comments, suggested language or edits for consideration by this Ad Hoc Committee.

Submit Your Comments on the Draft Policy
Provide online feedback via Konveio.

OPD Resources

Missing Person Report FAQ

• OPD Missing Person Section - Frequently Asked Questions When Filing a Missing Person Report

Missing Persons FAQ (YouTube Video)

• OPD Missing Persons Video FAQ (YouTube)

OPD Current Policy

In April 2020, the Oakland Police Department provided an informational report to the Public Safety Committee of the Oakland City Council about the work of the OPD Missing Persons Unit (MPU), along with a checklist detailing the steps that the Department follows for missing persons investigations.

• OPD Missing Persons Informational Report - April 2020(PDF, 276KB)
• OPD Missing Persons Investigation Checklist - April 2020(PDF, 252KB)

OPD policy governing missing person cases is contained in Department General Order O-6. That policy can be found at:

• OPD DGO O-6 Missing and Abducted Persons(PDF, 121KB)

The California Department of Justice Missing Person Report and the OPD manual for reporting on missing persons can be found at the following links:

• OPD RWM G-1 Missing Person/Runaway Report(PDF, 140KB)
• CA DOJ Missing Person Report(PDF, 1023KB)

Best Practices and Additional Resources

In preparation for the work of the Committee, the Chair solicited a policy brief, best practices and sample policies from other jurisdictions. Those materials are included here for interested members of the public.

• Missing Persons Policy Brief(PDF, 456KB)

Training/Best Practices

• CA POST Training Manual - Missing Persons Investigations(PDF, 2MB)
• IACP Missing Persons Model Policy(PDF, 1MB)
• US DOJ - Missing and Abducted Children: A Law Enforcement Guide to Case Investigation and Program Management(PDF, 2MB)
• US DOJ - Investigative Checklist for First Responders Missing Abducted Children Investigations(PDF, 307KB)
• US DOJ - Investigative Checklist for Law Enforcement When Responding to Missing Children with Special Needs(PDF, 192KB)

Sample Policies from Other Jurisdictions

• Chicago IL (S.O. S04-05 Missing Found Persons)(PDF, 460KB)
• Portland, OR (0850.39 - Missing Runaway Lost or Disoriented Persons)(PDF, 142KB)
• Santa Ana, CA (Lexipol, Procedure 3160 Investigation of Missing Persons and DNA Collections)(PDF, 13KB)
• State of New Jersey Missing Persons Investigative Best Practices Protocol(PDF, 157KB)

Committee Members

Police Commission

• Chair Regina Jackson (rjackson@oaklandcommission.org)
• Commissioner David Jordan (djordan@oaklandcommission.org)

Community

• Ginale Harris
• Michele Lazaneo
• Representative of the Bandabaila Family
• Representative of the Dugger Family

OPD

• Deputy Chief Drennon Lindsey
• Capt. Paul Figueroa
• Lt. Hamann Nguyen
• Sgt. Bradley Young
• Ofc. Bradley Sides