A Missing Persons inquiry is appropriate when DOB is unavailable and only physical description is known.

A Missing Persons inquiry is appropriate when DOB is unavailable and only physical description is known.

• A. False
• B. Not applicable
• C. True
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (C)

When a person is missing, the priority is to start a search using whatever information is available. A date of birth is helpful for confirming identity, but it is not required to open a Missing Persons inquiry. If only a physical description is known, along with last seen location or other identifying details, investigators can still initiate the inquiry, issue alerts, request public assistance, and begin the search using the description to recognize the person in photos and on surveillance. So this scenario is a valid reason to file a Missing Persons inquiry—the absence of a birth date does not prevent taking action or pursuing leads. The other options imply that action isn’t appropriate, which isn’t the case here; the situation warrants starting the inquiry based on the missing status and available descriptive information.

When a person is missing, the priority is to start a search using whatever information is available. A date of birth is helpful for confirming identity, but it is not required to open a Missing Persons inquiry. If only a physical description is known, along with last seen location or other identifying details, investigators can still initiate the inquiry, issue alerts, request public assistance, and begin the search using the description to recognize the person in photos and on surveillance.

So this scenario is a valid reason to file a Missing Persons inquiry—the absence of a birth date does not prevent taking action or pursuing leads. The other options imply that action isn’t appropriate, which isn’t the case here; the situation warrants starting the inquiry based on the missing status and available descriptive information.