1/12 in our series on police MISPER searches
Missing persons and other searches represent a significant body of work for all police forces. It’s a workload that can escalate extremely quickly and, very often, place the force in the public eye.
Whilst many searches are ‘routine’ and resolved quickly, there remain a significant number of cases where there is increasing potential for serious risk of harm to the individual.
These High Risk cases are time-critical and often resource-intensive. And the longer they remain unresolved, the greater the likelihood they will be prominently reported by both mainstream and social media, meaning a force’s actions are subject to significant media and public scrutiny.
Trained specialists, but often largely manual methods
PolSAs, as the trained specialists in search operations, ensure that approved best practice methods are used in these High Risk cases. However, historically the methods used have been largely manual. In many cases, the use of supporting technology tools has been limited to generic capabilities such as Resilience Direct or Google Maps, which lack any direct support for specialist search tasks.
That’s where Search-PRAS (Search Position Ranking & Analysis System) from Cunning Running comes in. It’s a specialist tool designed to provide targeted functionality that enables search operations to be planned, tasked out to units, and progress-managed and tracked — all in one integrated, highly automated solution.
The Search-PRAS difference: achieving search excellence
With the proven Search-PRAS software solution, your force can ensure excellence in its search capability:
- Search-PRAS integrates the standard data tools such as iFind and Grampian that allow initial planning to take account of the profile of the missing person.
- Search-PRAS accelerates the mechanics of search area selection and definition allowing PolSAs and IMPSAs to focus on matters of professional judgement. Search operations can start quickly and with confidence.
- Search-PRAS compresses the search timeline and helps identify likely locations to help significantly cut risk. This is absolutely crucial, since we know that the longer someone remains missing, the greater the risk that they will come to harm.
Extensive support for optimised search operation management
Search-PRAS has many more detailed capabilities that support search operation management and excellence, including:
- Confirmation that search area coverage has been achieved
- Progress briefing
- Maintenance of a decision-making audit trail
- Leverage of your existing geospatial assets
- Ability to replan quickly as search operations evolve.
- Search Strategy based on the Police National Search Centre (PNSC) format.
All of the above, and more, we will cover in this continuing series of regular posts.
Be amongst the best — arrange a remote demo now
If your force is not using Search-PRAS, you’re missing an opportunity to be amongst the best.
It’s time to empower your force’s search professionals to use their skills to greatest effect, to make the most efficient use of resources — and to find missing persons in less time and with reduced risk.
Call +44 (0)1794 834750 or email enquiries@cunningrunning.co.uk now for an initial chat and to arrange a Search-PRAS demo via a Teams call with one of our search professionals. Or Make an Appointment
Stay on top of the developing search story…
The above article is one of an extended series of articles on search challenges and issues for police forces.
To receive notification when each article goes live, please follow the Cunning Running company page on LinkedIn, or the LinkedIn pages of Stephen Mallon or Phil Cowell.
Previous articles in this missing persons search series:
Missing persons search in the digital age: ready for your ‘Eureka moment’?
