Thanks to the prompt actions of 3rd District officers and surveillance assistance from MCPD’s Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC), a 21-year-old non-verbal autistic man who was reported missing in White Oak on July 5 was safely discovered in a matter of minutes.
Officers from the 3rd District were called to the 11500 block of Lockwood Drive at around 3:49 p.m. in response to a missing person report, according to MCPD. The father said that his son, who has autism and is 21 years old, had fled their flat. At 3:53 p.m., RTIC employees, who were using camera systems to keep an eye on the area, saw the missing young guy cross Lockwood Drive in the direction of the White Oak Shopping Center. Officers were radioed the most recent location information.
At 3:54 p.m., a patrol officer from the 3rd District showed up and accompanied him into the Giant supermarket. At at 3:55 p.m., he was found and brought back to his father. After that, officers drove them both home. It took roughly seven minutes from dispatch to recovery.
The RTIC serves as a central location from which the MCPD may instantly access and evaluate intelligence material, surveillance footage, and other pertinent data. The RTIC is crucial to enhancing community safety since it makes evidence quickly accessible and makes it easier to identify suspects or missing people.
To guarantee a prompt police response, it is crucial to report a missing at-risk individual by calling 911 immediately. The importance of early notification has been highlighted by the department’s discovery of over 30 missing individuals on the autistic spectrum in the last month.
For people with autism and other developmental impairments, the department’s Autism/Intellectual and Developmental impairments (IDD) Unit offers outreach, resources, and assistance. The unit’s Facebook page has other details as well.
