JCF warns public about false missing persons reports

Senior officers are warning Jamaicans against knowingly filing false missing persons reports, saying such actions divert valuable resources from genuine cases and could result in criminal charges.

“The real truth is that the police officers are here to treat with reports. We prefer to have genuine reports, other than to waste time investigating something which is imaginary,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Michael Phipps told THE STAR.

“You will see the importance of us using our time to investigate something that has happened, other than to be investigating something which never happened.”

Phipps said persons who knowingly make inaccurate reports also risk being prosecuted.

“If a person makes a report that is inaccurate, there’s always a possibility of charging that person with public mischief,” he said.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force continues to receive hundreds of missing persons reports each year. While many missing individuals are eventually located, every report requires officers to assess the information, conduct inquiries and, where necessary, launch full investigations.

Superintendent Anthony Wallace, head of the St Mary Police Division, said when someone knowingly reports a person as missing despite knowing that the individual is safe, the reasons are often more complex than the act itself.

“Some people file false reports to draw attention to themselves or to a situation. The goal is to spark concern, get people involved, or feel like they matter in a crisis,” Wallace said.

He added that in some instances, “A false report can be used as leverage in personal disputes, custody battles, or legal conflicts. Reporting someone ‘missing’ becomes a way to pressure or control them and others around them.”

Wallace also noted that “anxiety, panic, or confusion can lead to impulsive decisions”.

“After an argument or during a period of stress, someone might file a report without checking facts, simply because fear took over,” he said.

Wallace said other reports will start out as misguided jokes or deliberate attempts to cause chaos.