§ 7-2-109 — Reporting of missing persons; report acceptance; duties and responsibilities

Wyoming § 7-2-109

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 07: Criminal Procedure
• Ch. 2: PEACE OFFICERS

Text

(a) Each Wyoming law enforcement agency shall accept,
without delay, any credible report of a missing person made to
the law enforcement agency, unless at least one (1) of the
following occurs:
(i) The law enforcement agency knows the location of
the person reported missing;
(ii) The law enforcement agency confirms the safe
status of the person reported missing;
(iii) The person reported missing is not a resident
of Wyoming, and the most recent verifiable location of the
person reported missing was not in Wyoming;
(iv) The law enforcement agency confirms that another
law enforcement agency already has, is accepting or will accept,
without delay, a missing person report for the person;
(v) The person reporting the missing person is unable
to articulate reasonable knowledge of the missing person or a
legitimate reason for concern for the missing person or the
missing person's health, safety or welfare;
(vi) The law enforcement agency suspects, and can
articulate, that the person reported as missing intended to
lawfully flee;
(vii) The person reported missing is being sought for
reasons of harassment, stalking or retaliation;
(viii) Other articulable extenuating circumstances
exist, consistent with this section, that would make acceptance
of a report of the missing person impractical, unreasonable or
unsafe for the missing person, and the law enforcement agency
documents the extenuating circumstances.
(b) The primary jurisdiction for reporting a missing
person shall be the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction
over the most recent verifiable location of the missing person.
If a verifiable last known location is not determined, the
primary jurisdiction shall be the law enforcement agency with
jurisdiction over the last known residential address of the
missing person. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude or
prohibit any other law enforcement agency from accepting a
report of a missing person under this section.
(c) All missing person reports meeting the criteria for
reporting under this section shall be entered into the relevant
national, regional and state databases used by the law
enforcement agency for the sharing of missing person reports.
Reports required under this subsection shall be entered by the
dates and times required by law but not later than eight (8)
hours after the receipt of a report and all required information
for submission.
(d) If a missing person is not located within thirty (30)
days of being reported missing under this section, the law
enforcement agency that accepted the report under this section
shall ensure that a complete and accurate record of information
is compiled for the missing person, including a photograph if
available. The complete and accurate record compiled shall be
forwarded to the attorney general and the division of criminal
investigation for inclusion in the clearinghouse database on
missing persons established under W.S. 9-1-624(a)(v).
(e) Upon receipt of a missing person report, the primary
jurisdiction shall request a photograph and cellular telephone
information of the missing person and, without delay, notify
appropriate law enforcement agencies of the pertinent
information and cellular telephone ping results when
appropriate.
(f) Upon receipt of a missing person report, the primary
jurisdiction shall evaluate the potential benefit of notifying
area news media and making an announcement via social media
channels that the law enforcement agency routinely uses.