CA Penal Code Section 14211

(a)

All local police and sheriffs’ departments shall accept any report, by any party, including any telephonic report, of a missing person, including runaways, without delay and shall give priority to the handling of these reports over the handling of reports relating to crimes involving property.

(b)

In cases where the person making a report of a missing person or runaway, contacts, including by telephone, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may take the report, and shall immediately advise the person making the report of the name and telephone number of the police or sheriff’s department having jurisdiction of the residence address of the missing person and of the name and telephone number of the police or sheriff’s department having jurisdiction of the place where the person was last seen.

(c)

In cases of reports involving missing persons, including, but not limited to, runaways, the local police or sheriff’s department shall immediately take the report and make an assessment of reasonable steps to be taken to locate the person by using the report forms, checklists, and guidelines required under Section 13519.07.

(d)

If the missing person is under 21 years of age, or there is evidence that the person is at risk, the police department or sheriff’s department shall broadcast a “Be On the Lookout” bulletin, without delay, within its jurisdiction.

(e)

If the person reported missing is under 21 years of age, or if there is evidence that the person is at risk, the law enforcement agency receiving the report shall, within two hours after the receipt of the report, electronically transmit the report to the Department of Justice via the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for inclusion in the Violent Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center databases.

(f)

Information not immediately available for electronic transmission to the department shall be obtained by the investigating agency and provided as a supplement to the original entry as soon as possible, but in no event later than 60 days after the original electronic entry. Supplemental information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1)

Dental records and treatment notes.

(2)

Fingerprints.

(3)

Photographs.

(4)

Description of physical characteristics.

(5)

Description of clothing the person was wearing when last seen.

(6)

Vehicle information.

(7)

Other information describing any person or vehicle believed to be involved in taking, abducting, or retaining the missing person.

(g)

In cases where the report is taken by a department, other than that of the city or county of residence of the missing person or runaway, the department, or division of the Department of the California Highway Patrol taking the report shall, without delay, and, in the case of persons under 21 years of age or where there was evidence that the missing person was at risk, within no more than 24 hours, notify, and forward a copy of the report to the police or sheriff’s department or departments having jurisdiction of the residence address of the missing person or runaway and of the place where the person was last seen. The report shall also be submitted by the department or division of the Department of the California Highway Patrol which took the report to the center. The initial California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System record may only be removed after the receiving agency has accepted the report.

(h)

The requirements imposed by this section on local police and sheriffs’ departments shall not be operative if the governing body of that local agency, by a majority vote of the members of that body, adopts a resolution expressly making those requirements inoperative.

Source: Section 14211, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=14211.­.

Last Updated

Aug. 19, 2023

§ 14211’s source at ca​.gov