NSW Police use SMS geo-targeting to aid search for missing persons

Have you ever received an SMS message from a strange number about missing persons?

And wondered if it was a scam?

Well, wonder no more, because it's official! The NSW Police Force has introduced a new geo-targeting alert system to aid in the search for missing persons.

In particular, police use the tool in high-risk circumstances. Before sending a message, police take an assessment of all available information.

What is a high-risk missing person?

Basically, the following people are high-risk missing people:

• People living with mental illness,
• People living with dementia who might have wandered from their home,
• Young children.

When these people go missing, there are serious concerns for their safety. Basically, the police need to locate them quickly. Therefore, police send the alert to those in the vicinity of the missing person.