Missing Person Notification Process

Policy & Procedure Effective December 17, 2014

General Information

Effective August 14, 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 requires all educational institutions participating in Title IV student financial aid program that maintains campus housing facilities establish a Missing Student Notification Policy. While Henry Ford College (HFC) does not have campus housing, it regards the safety and security of its campus community as the highest priority. Accordingly, HFC has initiated a protocol to minimize delays and confusion during an initial investigation.

Definition of a Missing Person

A person/student may be considered to be a “missing person” when he/she has disappeared without explanation. All missing person reports filed with the Office of Campus Safety shall be referred to the Dearborn Police Department.

Procedure to Follow

In the event a person on campus is reported to be missing, Campus Safety will:

Notify person the student has appointed on the HFC Authorization to Release Information form. These guidelines afford students a higher level of confidentiality. This information may only be shared with authorized campus officials or police personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation.

Note: The FERPA health and safety exception fully permits notifying a student’s authorized person or any person the authorities deemed necessary

Action Steps

  1. Contact Dearborn Police Department
  2. Gather all essential information about the person (description, clothes last worn, where the subject might be, who they might be with, vehicle description, etc.). Student photo on file will be provided to Dearborn Police to assist.
  3. Available campus staff will be notified to aid in the search of the individual.
  4. Class schedules will be obtained and a search of classrooms will be conducted.
  5. A timely and thorough search of the campus will be conducted.

All efforts will be made to collaborate with local law enforcement authorities in an attempt to locate the missing individual(s).