The Oak Bay Police Department is committed to ensuring that reports of missing persons are addressed in a timely and sensitive manner. There is no waiting period to report a person missing in B.C., and you do not need to be related to the person to make the report. If you believe someone is missing, please report it to the police. Your inquiry will be taken seriously, and the investigation will start without delay.

Report A Missing Person

If you feel the missing person is not in imminent danger, call the Oak Bay Police Department non-emergency number at (250) 592-2424 and advise the call taker you wish to make a missing persons report.

If you feel the missing person is vulnerable or in imminent danger (e.g. the missing person is elderly, a child, a person requiring timely medical treatment, someone at risk of physical harm or living a lifestyle which puts them at greater risk), call 9-1-1.

Information That May Be Requested

When reporting a missing person, you will be asked to provide details about the missing person in order to assist with the investigation. The information requested may include:

A physical description (including a photograph) of the person such as clothing they were wearing at the time they went missing, hair and eye colour, height, weight, gender, ethnicity, tattoos and scars

Any vehicle they may be driving

when and where they were last seen

Where they work and live

Any other information that might be needed to aid our officers

Missing Person Coordinator

When a missing person is reported, a police officer is assigned as a the Missing Person Coordinator. They will provide you with updates, and will be your contact during the investigation. You are asked to advise the police as soon as possible if the missing person contacts you or returns home, or you obtain new information that could assist the investigation.

Ongoing Missing Person Investigations

If you have any information about where a missing individual may be and have not yet spoken with officers, please call the E-Comm Report Desk at (250) 995-7654, extension 1. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit a tip online at Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers.

Provincial Policing Standards

In B.C., Provincial Policing Standards for Missing Persons Investigations establish the standards and associated Guiding Principles for the overall approach to missing person investigations for all BC police agencies.

The Missing Persons Act, improves police access to information that could help locate a missing person and allows police to apply for court orders to access records or conduct searches. The Act also allows officers to directly demand access to records in emergency situations.