Police launch scheme to help trace missing people
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A NEW scheme to help trace vulnerable missing people in the north has been introduced by the police.
The Herbert Protocol is a well-established initiative already used elsewhere in Scotland and the wider UK which can assist officers respond quickly when someone goes missing.
It comprises a detailed form with information such as a photograph, contact details, medication required and significant locations. This can be used by officers to save vital time in a missing person inquiry.
The scheme will be promoted with everyone registered with adult care services in the Highlands, including people living with dementia or a learning disability or experiencing mental ill health.
Sergeant David Campbell, missing person coordinator for Highland and Islands division, said: "People go missing for a variety of reasons and, unfortunately, vulnerable people becoming lost, distressed or disorientated is something that we can be faced with. This not only puts the missing person at risk but it also causes considerable distress for their loved ones. In the Highlands alone, more than 40 people with dementia have been reported missing in the last year.
"Speed is of the essence in any missing person enquiry – the longer someone is missing, particularly if they are vulnerable, then the greater the risk to them."
The Herbert Protocol originated in Norfolk and takes its name after Normandy landings veteran George Herbert, who lived with dementia and died in 2011 after he went missing while looking for his childhood home.
