Gloucestershire Constabulary focus of new TV series

Gloucestershire Constabulary will feature in a new TV series which follows the search for missing people.

The first episode of Reported Missing featuring the Constabulary is due to be shown on BBC One at 9pm on Wednesday 19 August.

This third series will highlight the complex and challenging work which goes on behind the scenes during the search for a missing person.

There will be four episodes, each an hour-long, where camera crews have followed the work of police as well as partner agencies including the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA).

Reported Missing will also show the emotional and sensitive journeys for those involved in each case and some of the reasons behind why people go missing.

The first episode featuring the Constabulary will focus on urgent searches for two people living with dementia. 

Sheila has vanished from her husband's side during a shopping trip, while John has headed out alone into the countryside.

Filming started in June 2019 with a production team from Blast! Films and continued into the beginning of this year. 

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Stratford said: "We are proud to have been featured in this series where the public will get to see the challenging and complex work which goes on behind the scenes to try and find people who go missing.

"Policing in Gloucestershire is not just about arresting people and preventing crime, but also about doing everything possible to help keep people safe from harm.

"It is an incredibly anxious time for relatives and friends of those who have left home, often with no indication of where they’ve gone.

"For policing it is also a demanding and resource-intensive period as we do all we can to try and find those who have disappeared and return them swiftly and safely to their families."

'Missing' is a Force operational priority and 'Older but not Overlooked' is also a priority of the Police and Crime Plan.

Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl said: "More and more the police are becoming the service of first response and I’m grateful that the Constabulary has the chance to showcase to the public how much of its time and resources are spent searching for missing people, especially when policing budgets are stretched.

"Older but not Overlooked is one of the priorities of my Police and Crime Plan and relates to all vulnerable people, so I hope this documentary series will show the compassion and support from our Force which I know the public expects."

The Constabulary has a dedicated Missing and Mental Health Team which has central oversight of missing episodes and mental health related incidents, working closely with partners and other agencies.

Alongside this the Force has 69 Lost Person Search Managers (LPSMs), who are trained and qualified in the management of missing person searches.

They are police officers day-to-day but voluntarily take on this additional role to help keep vulnerable people in Gloucestershire safe.

The first episode featuring Gloucestershire Constabulary is due to broadcast on 19 August with three more on successive Wednesday nights, all at 9pm.

The first episode of the series will broadcast on Wednesday 12 August, and features Cheshire Constabulary.