Missing persons can be reported right away under new legislation

By News Staff

The Ontario government has announced new tools for police to better respond to missing persons reports, including allowing family members to report someone missing right away.

Previously, there was a requirement to wait 24 hours before you could report someone missing in Ontario.

The Missing Persons Act, which was made into law on July 1, also gives police access to three additional tools when there is no evidence a crime has been committed.

They will now be able to obtain copies of records that may assist in a search, get a search warrant to enter a premises to locate a missing person and make an urgent demand for certain records without a court order.

The legislation comes just days after a CAMH patient, who had been found not criminally responsible for first-degree murder, was reported missing and fled the country soon after.

The act also will require chiefs of police and the OPP commissioner to report on how often they have made urgent demands for records.

Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said they are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the people and “police and family members tell us that the first hours after someone goes missing are the most critical.”

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, who was on hand for the announcement, said in a statement, “The new legislation will help police investigations by providing new resources and access to information that will enhance our investigations and facilitate locating these missing people.

Sgt. Stacy Gallant, head of the Missing Persons Unit, says the Missing Persons Act will allow them to access cellphone records, internet records and banking records that they previously could not in a missing person investigation.

“We are talking about being able to save lives with this act,” said Saunders. “Our success rate, I believe, is 98 per cent, give or take, with missing persons, but we are always looking for 100 per cent.”

Toronto police are currently undergoing their own review of missing-persons investigation following the arrest and conviction of serial killer Bruce McArthur.

The review is focusing on policies and procedures related to the investigations as well as on how Toronto police officers investigated the disappearance of members of the LGBTQ community who were later found to have been killed.

The final report of the independent review was initially expected in April 2020, but will now take till the end of January 2021.

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