Don’t wait to report missing persons

Senior Superintendent of Police Michael Phipps is urging Jamaicans to report persons missing as soon as they disappear, dismissing the long-held belief that one must wait 24 hours before doing so.

"The first 24 hours after a person has gone missing is the most critical," Phipps said. "We would want to get all the details at the earliest possible time so that we can know exactly where to look and know what course of action to really adopt." He said that once a report is made, the police accept it and start the necessary processes.

"Do not hesitate to make a report once the person goes missing, even if it is for one minute. As long as you suspect that something may be out of order, you ought to make a report and allow the police to investigate," he said. "We would prefer really to investigate it. It's better to investigate and it wasn't necessary than not to have investigated when it is absolutely necessary."

Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) data show that about 732 missing-persons' reports were filed in 2025.

For Julian Cameron, a St Mary mother whose daughter went missing in 2024, that message is deeply relatable.

"People in Jamaica still believe that you have to wait 24 hours to report somebody missing and if me did follow people, a that me woulda do. When my daughter never come home, I call the police same time. Mi know how she operate so me know something was off," she said.

"Once you know your loved one has not showed up or they have not contacted you when you are expecting them to, go to the closest police station and report them missing," she added.

She warned strongly against waiting for 24 hours before reporting "because in that time some a dem can end up dead".

"Waiting may not be very good for them because you don't know what the situation is. That time a them life you probably a save," she said, noting that her daughter returned unharmed.

"Mi take her picture and go a the station go report it and mi call STAR and is the push weh the JCF and media push it, people see it and ... call me. I was so glad mi did mek that choice rather fi sit down and wait."