By Christina Easter
When a person goes missing, family members should immediately contact local law enforcement to provide identifying information that can be entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS). Information provided to law enforcement is used for the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) Missing Persons and Ohio Attorney General Missing Persons websites, which can be searched by anyone.
On June 14, 2023, the Division held a virtual news conference to “address misleading information” in recent national news stories about missing children and human trafficking in Cleveland.
Then-Cleveland Division of Police Chief Wayne Drummond noted an uptick in missing juveniles in Cleveland, while discussing the seriousness with which these cases are handled.
“In the city of Cleveland, we have five detectives in each of the five neighborhood districts who are assigned specifically to missing persons, not just juveniles,” said Drummond. “Our detectives, officers in each of our neighborhood districts and officers in our specialized units take it seriously.”
“We also have a detective who is assigned downtown,” he continued. “Callahan is an expert in missing persons and finding missing persons.”
No 24-hour Waiting to Report a Person Missing
In 2012, the Division of Police issued a general police order requiring the Division to comply with the Ohio Revised Code on reporting and investigating missing persons.
The order requires the Division to promptly act to locate persons reported missing and enter the missing person’s information in the Record Management System.
“I want to let people know and get the word out that there is no limit on when you can make a missing person report,” said Cleveland Division of Police Detective Kevin Callahan during the virtual news conference. Callahan investigates missing persons cases downtown.
“There is an illusion that you have to wait 24 hours to make a missing person report, whether it’s an adult or a juvenile, and this is just not the case here in Cleveland.”
City of Cleveland – Missing Persons Unit
The Cleveland Division of Police, Missing Persons website is updated frequently. In most cases, it shows a photo, case number, race, sex, date of birth, age, date reported missing, number of days missing, and district.
Families, neighbors, and other concerned residents should immediately contact a detective for one of Cleveland’s five police districts to report a missing person.
Persons are removed from the website once they are found or return home.
Cuyahoga County
Last year, Cuyahoga County had the third-highest number of missing persons with 2,717, according to the Missing Children Clearinghouse 2024 Annual Report.
The county has a list of community resources on how to help if you have information about a missing person, actions to take to prevent your child from going missing, and a list of organizations and agencies that can assist families of missing children.
Some things the County advises families to do include: contact the Cuyahoga County Sheriff Missing Persons Initiative to add the information on its website; keep notes of the name of the officer who took your report, including their ID, telephone number and police report number; and visit USA.gov Missing Children website for “A Family Survival Guide When Your Child is Missing.”
Ohio Attorney General
The Ohio Attorney General Missing Persons Unit has a 24-hour toll-free hotline (800-325-5604). The unit fields questions from law enforcement officers, parents, community members, and the news media. The website, which features details and photos of missing children and adults, allows visitors to submit tips and print posters for specific cases.
Cases that meet the following criteria are posted:
- The person has been reported missing to a law enforcement agency, and they have entered the missing person into the National Crime Information Center database; and Missing child 17 years of age or younger; or
- Missing adult between the ages of 18-21; or
- Missing person 22 years of age or older who is suspected by law enforcement of being endangered or the victim of criminal activity; and
- Child or adult missing from Ohio; or
- Child or adult missing from another state or country and believed to be in the state of Ohio.
Free Assistance after 30 days
The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) offers Project LINK (Linking Individuals Not Known), which provides free assistance when searching for a loved one who has been missing for more than 30 days, or even decades.
BCI analysts gather photos and other identifying information of the missing person from family members. A DNA profile is added to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) so it can be compared to DNA taken from different sources.
As long as the case is open, the DNA is regularly checked against new DNA entered into the database.
Cleveland Missing
Family members can also contact the non-profit organization, Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults (Cleveland Missing), located at 2937 West 25th St., Cleveland 44113. The organization provides assistance with compiling information needed for the investigative report, such as name, birthdate, place last seen, any vehicles involved, clothing, current photograph, and persons who may be with them.
“We help families do things they are not really sure of how to make happen,” said Syvia Colon, co-founder and acting director of Cleveland Missing.
“We assist families with preparing a flyer, poster, and search party. We work with families on what we think needs to go on the flyer, posting on social media, and making sure they have copies that they can pass out,” said Colon.
Missing Person developments
Earlier this summer, OH HB217 (FIND Act) was introduced before the Ohio Legislature to require that local law enforcement agencies enter missing persons into NamUs within 30 days of a report being filed with the police.
Knowing who to contact and what information is needed to report and search for missing persons can help families learn the whereabouts of their missing loved ones.
If someone you know goes missing, immediately contact the local police to initiate an investigation and have the person listed on NamUS, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the state of Ohio websites.
Christina Easter is a freelance journalist in Northeast Ohio.
