Drones, DNA and AI: How technology is transforming the search for missing people
Missing person investigations once relied on door knocking, radio calls and hours of manual searches. Today, modern technology, social media and artificial intelligence have given police a much wider range of tools.
With more information at their fingertips, officers are now better equipped than ever to quickly locate missing people and bring them home safely.
Independent He spoke to Damien Miller, Deputy Chief Constable of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), who deals with missing persons, about how advances in technology are transforming investigations.
“Technological advances have improved the police’s ability to locate vulnerable missing people more quickly, and it is anticipated that future advances will reduce the number of missing people who are never found,” he said.
As well as the charity Missing People, Independent It aims to raise £165,000 to launch SafeCall, a free new service that will help the 70,000 children reported missing each year find support and safety no matter what.
donate Here or text SAFE to 70577 to donate £10 to Missing People, enough for one child to get help.
Search and rescue
Police use data-driven analytics to map the behavior of missing people; thus helping them predict how far someone might travel and where they are most likely to be found. Automatic license plate recognition systems and vehicle tracking systems can also assist police if the missing person is believed to be in a vehicle.
Mr Miller said the use of drones was revolutionizing search operations, allowing officers to survey large or inaccessible areas at a much lower cost than deploying helicopters. Forces can now conduct multiple air searches at once, speeding up the process and sending them to areas with conditions that may be unsafe for helicopters.
Sonar technology and specialist underwater equipment are also vital for police, who can detect missing persons or objects of interest, such as clothing, in rivers and lakes.
digital devices
Cell phones have become one of the most powerful tools in missing person investigations. AI systems can analyze vast amounts of cell site data to pinpoint a person’s location, while social media and push notifications allow police to alert the public within minutes.
Missing People’s head of digital campaigns, Amy Walker, said social media allows police and charities to reach wider audiences: “It’s not just about the person who picks up the newspaper or watches that TV programme. It’s about the person who follows your local police force and of course the power of sharing on social media.”
Mr Miller said: “Almost everyone leaves a footprint, especially in the digital world. Smartphones, messaging apps and live video apps all offer the opportunity to contact the missing person to offer assistance and disclose their location.”
Open source intelligence that scans public posts and online data has become an essential part of modern searches. Police also use the Missing People’s TextSafe service, which sends direct messages to missing people and offers confidential helpline support to people who are not yet ready to talk to police.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to become a more powerful tool in the search for missing persons. Police are using facial recognition to scan CCTV footage that would normally take hours to review.
Mr Miller said: “Even if there are no known sightings, rapid video analysis capability technology can review hours of CCTV footage in minutes, using facial recognition to find potential matches of a missing person, or object recognition to find potential matches of a different piece of clothing worn by the missing person.
“Analysis of the data has allowed models to be developed to predict the most likely places a missing person could be found, the time they were missing, and the distance they traveled. Artificial intelligence can be used to track the route a missing person took after they were last seen.”
Police are also using AI to quickly analyze large amounts of data to identify risk factors, signs of abuse, vulnerable missing persons networks or potential abusers.
Dr Varuna De Silva, an artificial intelligence expert from Loughborough University, said: “Being able to detect patterns in sensor data streams through machine learning will revolutionize this type of detection capability.
“One of the new technologies that may become widespread with advances in artificial intelligence is the ability to detect, identify and track individuals through wireless signal footprints. This technology is known as WiFi radar and allows people to be detected in places where cameras are not available.”
DNA databases
Advances in DNA technology are helping the UK missing persons unit match unidentified bodies with missing persons records both in the UK and abroad.
The UK’s vulnerable person DNA database allows a person concerned about abuse to provide a DNA sample to police to assist with a future investigation if they later unexpectedly disappear.
Mr Miller said: “Advances in DNA technology have enabled unidentified bodies or body parts to be matched to missing person reports. International cooperation is available and DNA profiles can be easily shared with police forces in other countries where there are concerns that the missing person may have gone abroad.”
Please donate now To the Independent and Missing Persons’ Safe Call campaign, which aims to raise £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service to help vulnerable children find safety and support.
If you or a loved one is lost, text or call the charity Missing People on 116 000 for advice, support and options. It’s free, confidential and non-judgmental. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help
