When dealing with runaways, who must always be contacted?

When dealing with runaways, who must always be contacted?

• A. Missing Persons Squad
• B. Juvenile crime desk
• C. School nurse
• D. Child protective services

Answer: (A)

When a youth runs away, the situation is treated as a missing person case. The Missing Persons Squad is the specialized unit that handles all missing juvenile cases, opening a formal missing person report, coordinating searches and alerts, and liaising with schools, families, and other agencies. They have the resources and procedures to manage and document the case properly, which is why they must always be contacted first. The other options don’t have the same investigative role: the juvenile crime desk focuses on offenses involving youths, a school nurse isn’t responsible for coordinating police investigations, and child protective services may become involved if safety concerns arise, but the immediate, standard step is to contact Missing Persons Squad to initiate the proper missing-person process.

When a youth runs away, the situation is treated as a missing person case. The Missing Persons Squad is the specialized unit that handles all missing juvenile cases, opening a formal missing person report, coordinating searches and alerts, and liaising with schools, families, and other agencies. They have the resources and procedures to manage and document the case properly, which is why they must always be contacted first. The other options don’t have the same investigative role: the juvenile crime desk focuses on offenses involving youths, a school nurse isn’t responsible for coordinating police investigations, and child protective services may become involved if safety concerns arise, but the immediate, standard step is to contact Missing Persons Squad to initiate the proper missing-person process.