The first 48 hours after the disappearance are most critical in terms of finding and returning someone home safely, especially children. Since these hours are also the most chaotic, it’s critical to keep some basic “do’s-and-don’ts” in mind.

A missing child should be reported immediately if they’re under the age of 18, by calling 9-1-1.

You should also report a missing adult quickly in case they are suicidal, have special needs or could be in danger. Call 303-660-7500 and make a report with dispatch immediately.

It’s important you limit access to your home so that deputies can respond and collect evidence. Remember that clothing, sheets, personal items, computers and even trash may hold clues to the whereabouts of the missing. Also, it’s important to give detectives recent photos of the person.

If you know the whereabouts or can add to the circumstances of a person classified as missing, please notify the Missing Persons Unit at 303-660-7548 and/or  303-660-7500 and make a report with dispatch immediately.

In cases like kidnapping, a law enforcement agency may request an Amber Alert through CBI. The criteria for Amber Alerts are very specific and will be decided on a case by case basis.

Runaways are not the same as missing people. Learn more about finding runaways.