Missing Persons in Illinois

Yesterday I got to wondering about the number of missing persons in Illinois. You know - like, how many adults are missing in Illinois? Where would be a good place to look? How about on the website of the Illinois State Police ISP).

If you go to www.isp.state.il.us/, you'll find the ISP homepage. From there, look in the left sidebar for Crime. Roll over "Crime" and then click on "Missing Persons". Hang onto your seats. You'll find all of nine (9) men and women listed, and the most recently posting is April 3, 2002. Eight years ago!

Lots of instant credibility about that list, eh?

So yesterday I emailed the State Police asking how to get Beth Bentley listed, and I received this reply today:

"Ms. Bentley is listed in the Law Enforcement Agencies Database (LEADS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as an endangered missing person by Woodstock Police Department. Woodstock PD is the investigative agency in her case and therefore, needs to make this request.

There is a National Center for Missing Adults (NCMA)... here is the contact information for them." (Contact information included address, phone numbers and this hotline number: (800) 690-FIND)

Presumably, Woodstock Police Department has made a request to have Beth Bentley listed on the State Police website and at the NCMA. It's also a good idea never to assume anything. Perhaps family and close friends can call the WPD officer in charge of investigating Beth's disappearance and determine the status of any request for State Police Missing Persons website and an NCMA listing.

Being listed in LEADS and NCIC is good, but a person could walk right by a cop and the cop will never know the person is listed in LEADS and NCIC unless he gets some ID and runs a check.

Being listed on a Missing Persons webpage gives interested parties an opportunity to know WHO is missing and to recognize them.