CHAPTER 24-A. DUTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

RECEIVING REPORTS OF MISSING CHILDREN

§2521. Law enforcement agency receiving report of missing or recovered child; duty

            A.(1) Any law enforcement agency receiving an initial report of a missing child or the recovery of a missing child and having reasonable grounds to believe the report is accurate shall do all of the following immediately after receiving the report:

            (a) Enter the name of the child into the National Crime Information Center's database.

            (b) Notify each of the following of the facts and contents of the report:

            (i) The Department of Children and Family Services to the extent that the reporting is required pursuant to Chapter 5 of Title VI of the Children's Code.

            (ii) The office of state police, if it did not originally receive the report.

            (iii) The office of the sheriff for the parish in which the report was received, if it did not originally receive the report.

            (iv) Any other local, state, or federal law enforcement agency that the law enforcement agency receiving the report deems necessary and appropriate depending upon the facts of each case.

            (2) The law enforcement agency may also notify any other appropriate local, state, or federal agency of the fact and contents of the report.

            B. The provisions of this Section shall apply for each reported missing child without regard to whether the child is believed to be missing due to stranger abduction, parental abduction, or any other cause.

            Acts 1986, No. 160, §1; Acts 2012, No. 446, §3; Acts 2020, No. 96, §2.