Bill To Force Police To Take Missing-Persons Reports Seriously

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(STATEHOUSE) - Legislators want to force police to take missing-persons reports seriously until they can show a reason why they shouldn’t.

A Senate committee has unanimously endorsed a bill requiring police to document specific investigative steps before writing off a missing person as a runaway.

The bill grew out of the disappearance of still-missing IUPUI student Molly Dattilo three years ago. Dattilo's family has long been critical of Marion County sheriff's deputies, accusing them of not investigating seriously for six weeks.

Legislators representing Indianapolis and Dattilo's hometown of Madison joined in sponsoring the legislation. The bill would require police to immediately accept any missing-person report, and start trying to gather a basic description of the victim, along with information on where the person was last seen. The bill also requires prompt notification of all Indiana police agencies.

In addition, the bill requires a prompt determination of whether the victim is a "high-risk" missing person, a category which includes anyone who is under 21, or whose disappearance may be the result of a crime. In those instances, state police are required to post the information in a federal crime databank within two hours.

Keri Dattilo, Molly's cousin, says the law would have forced faster action in her cousin's disappearance. Dattilo was joined by relatives of four other missing Hoosiers in testifying for the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Police groups support the bill too, though they're still working to iron out possible unintended consequences. For instance, the bill requires police to keep relatives updated on any leads. That provision has been amended to ensure police can't be forced to blow the cover of a battered spouse who may be deliberately concealing her whereabouts.

The House has already unanimously approved the bill. Even if the full Senate approves the bill, the House will have to vote again to accept the changes.

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