May 2, 2022
Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan
See their faces. Remember their names. Report information if you have it.
Yesterday, to coincide with the beginning of Saskatchewan Missing Persons Week, Project HOME ('Help Our Missing Emerge') – a province‐wide, multi-jurisdictional, digital billboard and social media awareness campaign – was launched to bring attention to the long-term missing persons cases in Saskatchewan.
A number of these people are missing in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction. Their cases remain open and officers continue to investigate their disappearances. Their families continue to wait for answers about what happened to their missing loved ones. The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness and generate new tips that can assist Saskatchewan police agencies in helping locate all of these missing individuals.
"How do we draw attention to all those people who remain missing across Saskatchewan to ensure that the public is hearing about them, thinking about them, keeping them top of mind? We, as investigators, are always trying to find new information in regards to each of these individuals; however, we have to rely on the public for information, too. We're hoping these billboards are the key to bringing in some new tips that might assist us," says Sergeant Donna Zawislak of the Saskatchewan RCMP Historical Case Unit.
The seven billboards - located in Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Prince Albert, and North Battleford - will display the pictures, names and some brief details about the majority of those who remain missing in our province. Additional information about the long-term missing persons cases across Saskatchewan can be found on the SACP website.
"I can't imagine the anguish the families of those who remain missing must feel every day. We want to remind the public that these missing individuals are loved – their absences have left holes in the hearts of their families and friends. They haven't been and won't be forgotten. We are hopeful that displaying the names and faces of the long-term missing people in Saskatchewan on these billboards will help generate new information that can lead to their return and provide answers for the families who are missing their loved ones endlessly," said Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer and 2nd Vice President of the SACP.
Project HOME was initiated by two individuals with the Saskatchewan RCMP: Cst. Brendan Sanford – Saskatchewan RCMP Missing Person Coordinator and Vicki Torresan - Community Program Officer with the Saskatchewan RCMP's Crime Prevention/Crime Reduction Unit who is actively involved in efforts in support of MMIWG2S.
Both Cst. Sanford and Ms. Torresan have worked diligently for months to launch this project. They have been in contact with the families whose missing loved ones will be featured on the billboards, ensuring that the families have felt included and informed during this process.
Project HOME was created in partnership with municipal police agencies in the province (Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert Police Services). The project is supported and funded by the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Civil Forfeiture Fund and the Department of Justice Victims and Survivors of Crime Week Victims' Fund. The RCMP Heritage Centre has also generously provided the use of its billboard on Dewdney Avenue in Regina.
What can you do to help bring these missing people home and provide their loved ones with answers?
Find out more information about long-term missing persons cases across Saskatchewan by visiting the SACP's website.
If you know something, say something (even if you think it may be insignificant, any piece of information may be what leads investigators to finding the answers they need to locate someone). You can report information to your local police or to the Saskatchewan RCMP Missing Persons Line at 1-833-502-6861. You can also report information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
–30–
Saskatchewan RCMP: Investigating missing persons cases
Thousands of people in Saskatchewan go missing every year – that includes men, women and children from all different backgrounds. Fortunately, most are found safe and sound; however, this is not always the case. Some individuals are not located and their loved ones and police explore all avenues to continue looking for them.
The investigation does not stop until the person is located.
Caring for the loved ones of missing people
Our main priorities in missing persons investigations, whether they are resolved quickly or become long-term, are: bringing the missing home and supporting their families. The Saskatchewan RCMP takes a number of steps to ensure families feel supported and kept in the loop about the investigation into their missing loved one.
These include (but are certainly not limited to):
Saskatchewan RCMP Family Liaisons and ensuring open lines of communication
Investigators keep in contact with the families of missing persons and provide updates on the status of their files, provide any new information that can be provided in regards to the investigation, and offer any additional assistance they're able to provide.
During many types of police investigations, a liaison officer is assigned to meet with and relay information to a designated family contact.
During a missing persons investigation, this individual will complete the RCMP Missing Persons Intake and Risk Assessment Form. This form helps police officers gather as much information as possible about the missing individual and assists in determining an appropriate response and resources required, based on the situation.
The liaison officer continues to provide updates to the family contact during the course of investigation – whether it be short- or long-term in nature.
The Saskatchewan RCMP's Missing Persons Coordinator
Each missing persons investigation is unique; therefore, there are no exact guidelines detailing what steps to take and what order to do them in. To assist officers in their investigations, the Saskatchewan RCMP has a Missing Person Coordinator – a position dedicated to assisting units and detachments by providing expertise and direction when someone is reported missing in RCMP jurisdiction.
The Missing Person Coordinator is aware of every missing person investigation reported to RCMP in Saskatchewan and:
- Analyzes newly reported missing person files and provides investigational support when needed
- Offers direction to investigators on steps that are required based on each specific case
- Assists in searches
Long-term missing persons cases that are not suspicious in nature are taken over by the Saskatchewan RCMP Missing Persons Coordinator. If, at any point in the investigation, the case is deemed suspicious, the file is transferred to the Historical Case Unit.
Identifying strategic and proactive initiatives, researching and developing solutions to potentially reduce missing person incidents
This involves lots regular communications and meetings with Government and non-Government agencies such as the Saskatchewan Missing Persons Partnership (SMPP), the Saskatchewan Association of Cold Case Investigators (SACCI) and the Missing Children from Care Committee.
One example of an initiative is Saskatchewan Missing Persons Week, which was introduced by the Saskatchewan Missing Persons Partnership.
Raising awareness: Saskatchewan Missing Persons Partnership and Missing Persons Week
Having dedicated dates, events and initiatives (such as Saskatchewan Missing Persons Week initiative by the Saskatchewan Missing Persons Partnership) to highlight and raise awareness about missing persons cases in the public realm is important. The objective of these types of initiatives is to ensure the public sees the names and faces of those who are missing in the hopes that someone can recall a critical piece of information, report it to police, and assist in locating that missing individual. The families of those who are missing are consulted prior to highlighting their loved ones' cases as part of these types of initiatives – we want to ensure we respect the families' wishes and that they feel supported, included and informed.
The help of our partners
The RCMP treats all missing persons as priority cases which are promptly investigated using all available resources. It is our priority to ensure the health and safety of all persons who go missing.
Whether a person has been missing for a matter of hours, days, months or years, there are always partners who assist us in these investigations. These partners include everyone from our own RCMP units to partner police agencies in Saskatchewan, across Canada and beyond, to Victim Services, to Search and Rescue or volunteer groups, to Crime Stoppers, to healthcare and/or social services, to advocate groups, to other emergency services and more…
We are also keenly aware that the media and the public are valued partners in solving missing persons cases. We rely on them to help get the word out and, in the case of the public specifically, provide us with information that can assist in locating those who are missing.
