INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST

The Patrol First Responder Checklist below provides information to enable accurate and appropriate 

scene. The preliminary decisions made and actions taken during the initial response have a profound 

themselves with this checklist prior to any reports of missing or abducted children. For disclaimer and 

additional details, please visit https://www.amber-ic.org/resources/checklists. 

1. If possible and circumstances/policy allow, activate body

camera or vehicle-mounted camera when approaching

the scene to record vehicles, people, and anything else of

note for later investigative review.

If no recording device is available, be prepared to take notes of surroundings and observations.

NOTES:

for Patrol First Responders

DATE COMPLETED: ______________ TIME COMPLETED: ______________

This publication was prepared under Cooperative Agreement number 2017-MC-FX-K003 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and 

Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the 

authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice.

INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST

for Investigative Officers

The Investigative Officer Checklist below is a resource to facilitate effective communication and 

documentation of valuable information in response to reports of endangered missing or abducted 

children. Investigative processes are crucial to all parties involved in the search and recovery of a missing 

or abducted child. This checklist presents specific techniques for handling non-family abductions, family 

abductions, and runaways, and important considerations for obtaining information and transitioning the 

incident from patrol first responders. Investigative officers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with 

this checklist prior to any reports of missing or abducted children.

This publication was prepared under Cooperative Agreement number 2017-MC-FX-K003 from the U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of Justice Programs, (OJP). Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not 

necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJP or the U.S. Department of Justice.

Meet with the first responder(s) to obtain pertinent information about the investigation. This 

briefing should be conducted prior to interviews with family members of the missing child or 

witnesses who may have been identified during the initial stage of the case. The verification 

process should include all details developed during the preliminary investigation. During 

the interview process the investigator should be alert to facts or statements in conflict with 

those gathered by the first responder(s).

1. Obtain a briefing from the first responding officer(s) and other on-scene 

personnel. Verify the accuracy of all descriptive information and other details 

developed so far during the preliminary investigation.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 2

A thorough canvass of the neighborhood or area should be conducted without delay. The 

objective is to identify and interview all people within the abduction/incident zone who may 

be able to provide information related to the incident.

• Verify that a command post has been or is actively being established. If not, make the 

necessary arrangements to correct the situation with the supervisory officer prior to 

canvassing.

• Call out pre-selected and trained volunteers or execute a defined process for soliciting 

and vetting ad hoc volunteers if a pre-established volunteer group is not in place.

• Assign officers and staff on hand as supervisors to oversee canvass teams and/or 

volunteer groups. (The ideal ratio of supervisor to canvassing officers/volunteers is 

1:5.)

• Determine how far the canvass should extend geographically.

• Work with your communications center to run sex offender queries and identify 

offenders residing and/or working in the area.

• Use an assignment sheet to record assignment updates throughout the investigation 

and make this available to all personnel working on the case.

• Assign someone to serve as an evidence recorder and an entry/exit recorder (also 

responsible for maintaining an event timetable).

» Example of Crime Scene Entry Log (see final page, p. 180)

» Example of Lead Sheet Assignment Log

2. Conduct initial neighborhood/area canvassing operations using a standardized 

approach and questionnaire to create consistency of approach and questions, 

and thorough documentation, by all officers involved.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 3

The investigative officer should interview the following individuals toward developing a 

victimology/victim profile in the case.

• Family members

• Neighbors or nearby families

• Teachers & classmates/friends and bus drivers

• Any individuals or organizations that the child has been known to spend time with

• Employers & coworkers (with working-age missing juveniles)

• Any individuals or organizations with which the child has been known to spend time

• Witnesses

• Other individuals with information/knowledge of history/dynamics, as appropriate

3. Obtain a brief, recent history of family dynamics.

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The first responder and the investigative officer should discuss and compare all field notes, 

incorporating any recent updates received from telecommunications. This collaborative 

evaluation will provide the investigative staff with a solid foundation upon which to structure 

future case directions. Further investigate toward resolution of any conflicting elements 

gathered through interviews and canvassing.

4. Identify and further investigate reasons for any conflicting witness 

and/or interviewee information, working toward resolution of the 

conflicting elements.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 4

These items may contain hair and other material useful as DNA evidence. Also look for 

pencils or toys that contain impressions the child’s teeth. Obtain a description of birthmarks, 

scars, tattoos, missing teeth, eyeglasses or contacts, speech patterns, and other noticeable 

behavioral traits. If possible, collect any child ID kits information from the family. Obtain 

photographs that show the child as he/she looks currently. Collect fingerprints from the 

child’s room and/or personal items. Obtain medical and dental records.

5. Collect article(s) of the child’s clothing for scent-tracking purposes. Review and 

evaluate all available information and evidence collected. Secure the child’s 

latest medical and dental records.

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Obtaining garbage and/or recycling from the child’s residence and/or other areas associated 

with the case can result in finding evidence that is essential to the investigation. Work 

proactively to establish agreements with public works, garbage and recycling collection 

companies, and landfills in your jurisdiction to mitigate delays when minutes matter during 

an actual case.

6. If applicable, contact landfill/ transfer station management and request 

they delay or at least segregate garbage and dumping containers from key 

investigative areas in cases where it is suspected there may be imminent 

danger to the missing child.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 5

Prior to developing an investigative plan, conducting a scene assessment will be necessary 

to identify valuable evidence, and supports coordinated identification, collection, and 

preservation of physical evidence and identification of witnesses. An effective investigative 

plan also allows for accurate and timely exchange of information amongst law enforcement 

personnel and clearly establishes the investigative strategies to be used.

The investigator(s) in charge should perform the following actions

• Communicate with the first responder(s) regarding observations/activities.

• Evaluate safety issues that may affect personnel entering the scene(s) (e.g., bloodborne pathogens, hazardous materials, geography hazards)

• Evaluate search/seizure issues to determine the necessity of obtaining consent to 

search and/or executing a search warrant

• Evaluate and establish a path of scene entry and exit for authorized personnel

• Evaluate initial scene boundaries and expand/contract as necessary

• Determine the number and size of scene(s) in the case and prioritize them to ensure 

the best use of investigative resources to effectively and thoroughly process each

• Establish a secure area appropriately close to the scene(s) for the purpose of 

consultation and equipment staging

• If multiple scenes exist, establish and maintain communication with personnel at each

• Establish a secure area for temporary evidence storage in accordance with rules of 

evidence/chain of custody

• Determine and request additional investigative resources as required (e.g., specialized 

personnel/units, legal consultation/prosecutors, equipment)

• Ensure continued scene integrity (e.g., document entry/exit of authorized personnel, 

prevent unauthorized access to the scene)

7. Develop an investigative plan to focus the investigation and ensure it remains 

on track.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 6

Conduct criminal background checks on all parties involved in the investigation, including 

parents, family members, witnesses, suspects, and volunteers. Keep in mind ALL suspects 

(including family members) are high priority.

8. Conduct a criminal history background check on all principal 

suspects, witnesses, and participants in the investigation.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 7

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – If you believe the child is in fact missing/

abducted, especially if it warrants the activation of an AMBER Alert, the FBI should be 

contacted as they can provide significant investigative resources. Note: When the Child 

Abduction (CA) or AMBER Alert (AA) flags are applied to the missing child NCIC record, 

automatic notifications are made to the FBI and the National Center for Missing and 

Exploited Children (NCMEC).

• State/Local Police or Sheriff – To ensure you can respond fully to any activity 

occurring outside of (or has moved across) state and/or tribal boundaries, you need 

to include law enforcement from those jurisdictions and likely surrounding areas 

depending on suspected direction of travel, vehicle(s) and persons involved, etc.

• State Missing Children Clearinghouse – For assistance with case registration, 

records/intelligence analysis, photo dissemination, and logistical needs such as 

transportation of recovered children, etc.

• Specialized Units – Including the following

• Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces

• Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)

• National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) – requested through the 

FBI

• S. Marshalls Service

• Victim-Witness Services – Contact local crime victim services or tribal crisis support. 

If you need assistance in working with the family of the missing child, you can 

include NCMEC’s Family Advocacy Division and/or Exploited Children Division for first 

response social services support in providing updates and resources to the family as 

the investigation progresses.

• NCMEC’s Project ALERT®/Team Adam – Investigative support for rapid response 

(Team Adam), and for longer-term and/or cold cases (Project ALERT®).

• Child Abduction Response Teams (CART) – A multi-disciplinary (and often multijurisdictional) team to provide a wide base of investigative, specialized and volunteer 

management support. CARTs are a major force multiplier in critical missing and child 

abduction cases. Work proactively to identify the CART(s) serving your area and build 

relationships and agreements to promote effective call out and communications when 

minutes matter when cases occur.

9. Determine what additional resources and specialized services are required 

to support the investigation.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 8

At a minimum, include the following:

• Name

• Sex

• Race

• Date of birth

• Date of emancipation

• Height/Weight/Eye color

• Date and location of last known contact

• Any critical endangerment factors of the incident (caution-medical, caution-weapons, 

etc.).

• NCIC case/record number

• Originating (handing agency) ORI number and contact phone number

• Public leads/tips contact number/email (see next item)

11.Prepare and update bulletins for local law enforcement agencies, the state 

missing children clearinghouse, the FBI, and other appropriate agencies.

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Call NCMEC toll-free at 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678) if your agency has not already 

been contacted by NCMEC as a result of the case NCIC entry(ies). Note: NCMEC has a Sex 

Offender Tracking Team (SOTT) available to any law enforcement agencies to serve as an 

information clearinghouse.

10.Report all case information to NCMEC and work with your communications 

department or assigned investigators to update case details with NCMEC as 

the investigation progresses.

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Investigative Officer Checklist 9

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An information management system is an essential part of the overall investigative process. 

Depending on the resources available, it is best to utilize a computerized system to record, 

index, cross-reference, and retrieve the facts amassed during an investigation. Note: NCMEC 

can provide assistance with case management tools. Contact them at 800-THE-LOST (800-

843-5678).

Effective leads/tips intake systems should include the following elements.

• Proper staffing and supervision structures

• Vetted/Background-checked, specially trained personnel

• Call intake protocols: scripted questions organized on a checklist to promote 

consistency and minimized missed/overlooked questions

• Call/number rollover and stacking capability to minimize missed and delayed handling 

of calls

• Phone recording capabilities to capture and log all conversations

• Coordination with other emergency operations centers to provide back up and staffing 

support

• A toll-free number for those who need it

NCMEC can assist with leads management tools designed to manage and prioritize leads in 

missing child investigations. Contact them at 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).

12.Establish a phone hotline for receipt of tips and leads. Consider establishing an 

email address and other methods of electronically receiving leads as well.

13.Establish a leads management system to prioritize leads and help ensure each 

one is reviewed and followed up on.