§ 12-68-01 — Missing person reports

1. A report of a missing person may be made to any law enforcement agency in the state.
The law enforcement agency may not refuse to accept a missing person report solely
on the basis that:
a. The missing person is an adult;
b. The circumstances do not indicate foul play;
c. The person has been missing for a short period of time;
d. The person has been missing for a long period of time; or
e. There is no indication that the missing person was in the jurisdiction served by
the law enforcement agency at the time of the disappearance.
2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, if, upon receiving sufficient information from the person
making the report, the law enforcement agency that receives the initial report of a
missing person determines that a law enforcement agency in another jurisdiction is
clearly the more appropriate law enforcement agency to receive the missing person
report, the law enforcement agency that receives the initial report may refer the
missing person report to the more appropriate law enforcement agency. The
responsibility for the missing person report remains with the law enforcement agency
that receives the initial missing person report until the law enforcement agency in the
other jurisdiction confirms, in writing, its acceptance of responsibility for the missing
person report. If the law enforcement agency to which the missing person report is
referred is located within this state, that law enforcement agency shall accept or
decline the responsibility for the referred missing person report within twenty-four
hours after receiving the request from the initial law enforcement agency. The law
enforcement agency to which the report is referred may not decline acceptance of
responsibility for the missing person report without good cause shown and may not
decline acceptance of responsibility for the report solely on the basis of the factors
listed in subsection 1.
3. The law enforcement agency shall accept a missing person report in person. A law
enforcement agency also may accept reports by telephone or by electronic or other
media to the extent that the reporting is consistent with law enforcement policies or
practices.