A new national Facebook page was released by the Australian Federal Police featuring the faces of thousands of missing persons in Australia. 

The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre Facebook page is the first national government-run page that provides profiles from State and Territory police cases for missing persons. 

The page is to communicate missing person issues and facts to the public. It will be a space for family members of missing persons and the community groups in the relevant sector to gather together.

“We know that every year, more than 38,000 people are reported missing to police. Although most are located safe and well, there are people in the Australian community who have no idea what has happened to someone they love,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Debbie Platz said. 

“This resource will give the public the power to share their experiences and connect about these issues, with the aim to reunite missing persons with their families and friends.” 

Long-term missing persons are those who have been missing for three months or more. Profiles of more than 2000 long-term missing persons in Australia will be available.

This initiative is pioneered by the AFP’s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC). They play a national coordination role, support State and Territory police, reduce impacts of missing persons through education and advocacy. 

Assistant Commissioner Platz added that the page on the popular social platform will hopefully increase awareness on the impacts of missing persons in the community.