29 July 2012

National Missing Persons Week

29 July 2012 | By Ruqi

ACT Policing is supporting National Missing Persons Week (29 July – 4 August), with this year’s campaign focusing primarily on young people as one of the key groups at risk of going missing in Australia.

The campaign titled ‘Take the time to let someone know’ aims to reach out to young people and encourage them to let someone know where they are, or where they are going.

The ACT has seven people on its Missing Persons register.

The missing people are:

• Kate Alexander (missing since 1974)
• Megan Mulquiney (missing since 1984)
• Elizabeth Herfort (missing since 1980)
• Odette Houghton (missing overseas since 1991)
• Amelia Hausia (missing since 1992)
• Benjamin Wells (missing since 2004)
• Laura Haworth (missing since 2008)

ACT Policing Operations, Traffic, Emergency Management & Planning Superintendent Kylie Flower said many cases reported to police are often as simple as young people forgetting to tell their families when their plans had changed.

“It is estimated that 20,000 young people are reported missing in Australia every year – that’s a couple of people every hour of every day,” Superintendent Flower said.

“Research shows that many people believe they must wait 24 hours before they can report someone missing. This is not the case, and ACT Policing is urging the reporting of a missing person as soon as family or a loved one becomes concerned for their welfare.”

A church service to observe the start of National Missing Persons Week will be hosted by ACT Policing (Sunday, 29 July) at All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie commencing at 9.30am. Superintendent Flower will deliver readings at the church service.

Further information on National Missing Persons Week can be located at www.missingpersons.gov.au (http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/)