New Philadelphia Police Chief Tessa Pohovey speaking with Max Filby and Danae King with The Columbus Dispatch
After several meetings the first part of this year, the Ohio Missing Person Working Group released 18 recommendations.
The collaborative group convened to examine how missing persons case are investigated, review Ohio’s resources, and its response. Joining them was New Philadelphia Police Chief Tessa Pohovey.
“Different presenters would come in and whatever topic they had related to our working group would give their presentations. Very diverse group which was wonderful because there was a lot of different ideas and input that went into the recommendations. We sat as a group and there was wonderful feedback and back and forth about ideas and ways we thought we could improve the system.”
The working group issued 18 recommendations. Pohovey says each one serves an important role in helping law enforcement and other agencies get an adult or child home.
“I do think there are some important ones like when it comes to implementing them in databases if we can get it automated. Automated entries and removals. Really like the idea of increasing the penalties interference with custody because that’s something that comes up a lot and it’s kind of a challenge for law enforcement if a kid is taken out of state. Brings me to another point that was establishing a fund where agencies can get reimbursed. If we have to travel to another state to bring somebody back it is expensive.”
One-point Pohovey stresses is the 24-hour wait misconception, likely created through TV shows and movies.
“Because that does not exist. That was a big thing that we felt that information needs to get out that people don’t have to wait. All that happens when you wait is puts the investigators further behind. There’s nothing that states you have to wait any amount of time to come make the report.”
She also encourages parents and guardians to get a youth identification card through the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
“It would like a little ID card or driver’s license. Having that available helps law enforcement. I think it’s like $10 to get one, but it keeps current photos too because a lot of times that’s the hard part for us getting photos. It seems like a lot of times with kids we end up getting photos off of Facebook or Snap Chat and they have filters and it’s harder to use those.”
Other recommendations include BCI establishing an annual conference to share best practices and raise awareness, main a central resource of missing person reports, and develop advance training regarding missing persons.
An estimated 600,000 Americans, each year, go missing nationwide. In 2023, Ohio had over 22,300 cases with 17,405 kids labeled as missing. All six Working Group meetings can be viewed on the Ohio Public Safety YouTube channel.
Copyright WTUZ Radio Inc., 2018