1. Protecting Vulnerable Persons and Reducing Demand of Police Time and Resources using Assistive Technology
Abigail Salter (Hertfordshire Police Force) &
Dr. Karen Shalev Greene (University of Portsmouth)
This project was funded by Police Innovation Fund 2016/2017

2. Risks when missing Most people are found safe and well
Risk of harm includes: dehydration, injuries such as bruising and abrasions, orthopaedic and soft tissue injuries, hypothermia, hyperthermia and death (Ali et al., 2015; Aud, 2004; Rowe et al., 2004)

3. Use of assistive technologies
Ethical concerns
Practical issues relating to the use of the devices
Attitude of professionals, family members and patients towards this technology

4. Hertfordshire
Increase of persons living with dementia in Hertfordshire

5. Hertfordshire 6 Month period of data 2217 Total of Missing People
Missing Person Data request 01/05/ /11/2015
Total No. of Missing Persons :
2217
Total High Risk Mispers
286
High Risk Aged 65+
102
Medium Risk aged 65 + 57
Low Risk Aged 65 + 11
Misper Aged 65+ with Mental Ill Health 14
Misper Aged 65+ with Dementia 88
Misper aged 65+ with Alzheimers 20
High Risk under 18 67
Medium Risk Under 18
1159
Low Risk Under 18
273
Misper aged under 18 with CSE 58
Under 18 with Mental Ill Health 26
6 Month period of data
2217 Total of Missing People
286 High Risk
75 of these lived with dementia Alzheimer’s

6. Hertfordshire
Repeat Missing Persons 65+ living with Dementia / Alzheimer's
21 of these (65+ with Dementia or Alzheimer’s) were reported missing on more than 1 occasion during this period.
Combined, these 21 people went missing 79 times
102 policing hours involved
£134K – so £268K
Only 1 from a Care Home establishment – others from home address.

7. Hertfordshire
Dementia sufferer Gwyn Morris, 88, ‘died possibly within 24 hours’ of going missing from care home
By HertfordshireMercury  |  Posted: November 07, 2013   
2015: An extensive police operation with 60 volunteers from the local community who covered an area over 6 days before his body was found in a field close to his home.

8. Hertfordshire Bid for Police Innovation Funding –
Promote Greater Freedom and Empowerment
Would Safeguard and therefore reduce risk to those at risk from going missing
Reduce Demand on Police resources by reducing calls and shortening amount of time spent on locating

9. Hertfordshire Funding successful for ‘Proof of Concept’
Repeat Missing People living with dementia identified
GPS devices purchased from Buddi
Selected sample approached

10. Participants
6 of the 8 participants in this sample lived with a relative, who was most likely to be their spouse (see table 2). Participants 6 and 7 lived on their own and their sons were their designated carers. The average age of participants in this sample was 76 and 5 were male and 3 were females.

11. Participants
The 8 participants included in this sample were reported missing 14 times to the police before the beginning of the project, ranging between 1 to 4 times.
The missing incidents lasted, on average, over 3 hours ranging between 5 minutes and over 13 hours.
Participants in this sample varied substantially in the distance they travelled during a missing incident ranging between a few yards away from their home up to nearly 20 miles away.

12. Issues running the project
Setting it up
Ongoing support during project
Exit strategy

13. Good Practices Identifying participants Running the project
Missing Persons incidents- quick identification and safeguarding (Henry)

14. Henry- Case Study Going missing without Buddi
Was reported missing for 9 hours and 22 min.
Aprox 25 police officers involved
Estimated cost of investigation totalled £10,730.83
Going missing with Buddi
Was reported missing for 2 hours and 38 min.
Aprox. 2 police officers involved
Estimated cost of investigation totalled £

15. Challenges Identifying participants Running the project
Missing persons incidents

16. Thank You Dr. Karen Shalev Greene DS Abigail Salter
The Centre for the Study of Missing Persons
Institute for Criminal Justice Studies
University of Portsmouth
PO1 2HY
Tel: 44 (0)
DS Abigail Salter
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Safeguarding Command  Police HQ
WGC
Herts
AL8 6XF Tel: (0)