Missing Persons

Please refer to immediate practical matters for additional urgent needs and concerns. This section gives a quick overview of specific types of crimes or incidents that you may have experienced. At the end of each section is a list of related resources under Agencies involved.

Contact info for agencies involved is in RESOURCES.

NOPD districts handle initial missing persons calls and conduct preliminary investigations.

  • Law enforcement will want a recent color photograph of the missing person.

  • If a missing person is considered vulnerable (someone with mental or physical impairments that may place them in greater danger) or foul play is suspected, a Detective with NOPD’s Special Victims Division (SVD) takes over the case.

  • If a child under 13 is missing, or it appears any individual has disappeared under suspicious circumstances, a “be-on-the-lookout” (BOLO) transmission is immediately sent out.

  • Police are required to consult Louisiana State Police (LSP) for assistance in cases of missing senior citizens or adults with developmental disabilities.

  • By law, police must add reports of missing children into the Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children (LACMEC) / National Crime Information Center (NCIC) missing persons databases, within two hours of a report.

Amber alerts are issued for missing children under 17 who law enforcement suspects are in danger and in which there is information about the child, abductor, or a vehicle. Similarly, Silver Alerts are used in cases of missing adults with developmental disabilities or senior citizens. NOPD’s SVD must make these requests through LSP.

In 2026, after the death of Bryan Vasquez (whose case did not meet alert criteria at the time), New Orleans created “Bryan’s Call,” using the existing NOLA Ready system, to notify the public of missing vulnerable persons. Louisiana's Act 347 similarly created a statewide “Bryan’s Call” (Level II Endangered Missing Child Advisory) alert for cases falling short of Amber and Silver Alert criteria.

Agencies involved

NOPD; Orleans District Attorney’s Office DA (after arrest); Coroner’s Office; Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office OPSO (if accused is jailed); Federal agencies (some cases); Clerk Connect (to track an Orleans criminal court case) and LA Vine (to sign up for victim notifications of custody status); Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) (victim-survivor compensation); Resource Association for Missing People