WIREDGOV

Essex Police has reviewed its policies on dealing with missing people after the IPCC made recommendations following its investigationinto the force's response to a missing teenager.

The IPCC made four recommendations to Essex Police following the completion of its investigation into an incident in December 2015 which culminated in the teenage girl being sexually assaulted.

The force accepted all the recommendations, which included introducing mandatory checks of the Police National Computer at the point a person is reported missing.

The IPCC investigation focused on the police response after a woman raised concerns for her vulnerable teenage daughter, whom she had not seen for several hours.

The woman called police late in the evening of 18 December. During the early hours of the next day the teenager contacted Essex Police herself to report that she had been sexually assaulted.

The IPCC investigation found Essex Police had initially graded the risk level to the girl as being 'medium'. In the opinion of the IPCC investigator a grading of 'high' risk would have been more appropriate given the information which was available to officers about the girl.

Despite this, it was the IPCC investigator's opinion that a different risk grading would not have changed the course of events on December 18/19.

An acting inspector who admitted making errors in his use of the available intelligence systems on the night in question has undergone further training.

IPCC Commissioner Mary Cunneen said:

"I am pleased Essex Police has accepted the recommendations we have made following this distressing case.

"Young people who go missing are particularly vulnerable and the police must play an important role in safeguarding them.

"It is vital that officers make use of all the information available to them when making risk assessments on all those who go missing."

To read the full IPCC recommendations to Essex Police, click here.