Maine Families Call for State Database to Track Missing Persons After Years of Struggle

In Maine, families of missing persons are struggling due to the absence of a state database that could track the whereabouts of their loved ones. Tammy Lacher Scully’s son, Graham Lacher, disappeared over two years ago, and she has been tirelessly searching for him ever since. Despite her family’s numerous efforts, including reaching out through social media, visiting bus stations, contacting local businesses, and organizing rallies, there has been no help from Maine law enforcement. Worse still, Graham Lacher’s name is not even on the Maine State Police’s missing persons list.

Lacher Scully’s search for her son has been an ongoing, heart-wrenching journey. She has sent posters to every tagging station to alert hunters, placed posters on roadsides across Maine, and contacted hospitals, treatment centers, and state legislators, but the Maine State Police has not added Graham’s name to its list of missing people. The reason? Maine does not maintain a comprehensive database for missing persons, leaving families like hers to take on the burden of finding their loved ones without much support from law enforcement.

The Gaps in Maine’s Missing Persons Reporting System

Maine State Police do not have a centralized list of missing persons. The only database available is managed by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which currently lists 148 missing people from Maine. This list includes Graham Lacher, but it is not a state-run resource. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is responsible for tracking missing persons in Maine, but it only keeps records for cases where it is suspected that the person may not be alive.

According to Lindsay Chasteen, OCME’s office administrator, the agency does not always receive missing persons reports directly from law enforcement. Instead, they often learn about disappearances through social media or news reports, as was the case with two fishermen who went missing in Downeast Maine. Chasteen expressed that this lack of communication creates a disjointed system where families often have to bear the burden of trying to track down their loved ones with little help from law enforcement.

“Sometimes, we find out through the news that someone is missing. Nobody told us. And that happens more often than you think,” Chasteen shared.

While all Maine law enforcement agencies are supposed to follow a protocol to report missing persons to the medical examiner’s office, Chasteen emphasized that enforcement of this protocol is lacking. The absence of consistent reporting only adds to the frustration that families experience as they try to navigate the complex and often unhelpful system.

Legislative Action to Address the Issue

The absence of a centralized list has caught the attention of Maine lawmakers, including Rep. Nina Milliken, who represents Blue Hill. Milliken introduced legislation on Monday that would require the Maine State Police to maintain a comprehensive list of missing persons in the state. Milliken argued that this legislation is essential to ensure that Maine families have a system in place to track missing loved ones and get the help they need.

For families like Tammy Lacher Scully, this proposal is crucial. She spoke out during a public hearing on the bill, sharing her own experience with the lack of a statewide database. “The bottom line is, in Maine, there was no official understanding of what to do or when to do it when someone like my son goes missing,” Lacher Scully explained. “Not publicly listing our missing loved ones sends the message that Maine does not care if they are found. It literally says that my son doesn’t count.”

Currently, the Maine State Police only list missing persons in cases where foul play is suspected, and even then, the public list is limited. Lt. Thomas Pickering, who commands the unsolved homicides unit at the Maine State Police, testified that only 36 people are listed in the public database. However, the list does not include people who may be missing for reasons other than foul play, leaving families with little recourse when they report a missing person who may not fit the criteria.

Law Enforcement Pushback

Despite the push from lawmakers and families, the Maine State Police have opposed the bill that would mandate the creation of a full missing persons list. They argue that the bill would create administrative burdens and would require extensive coordination with other law enforcement agencies. Lt. Pickering stated that if Maine law enforcement were required to maintain a full list, they would need to handle all tips that come in regarding missing persons and route them to local police departments and sheriffs’ offices for investigation. He also suggested that it would be simpler for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to maintain a public list on its website, since law enforcement is already required to report missing persons to the agency.

State police officials argue that duplicating efforts by creating another state database would not be an efficient use of resources, but for families who have lived through the pain of a missing loved one, these arguments feel secondary to the need for a cohesive and comprehensive system that can track and report disappearances in a more organized manner.

The Need for a Centralized Database

The ongoing struggle faced by families like Tammy Lacher Scully’s highlights the critical need for a state-run database of missing persons in Maine. With no clear, organized way to track missing individuals, families are forced to take on the emotional and logistical burden of organizing searches and spreading awareness about their loved ones. This makes an already painful and traumatic experience even harder to endure.

A centralized database would not only help streamline reporting and tracking, but it would also provide peace of mind to families who feel like their missing loved ones have been forgotten by the system. It would allow law enforcement to coordinate efforts more effectively and ensure that no case falls through the cracks. By providing a unified platform for information about missing persons, Maine would be taking a critical step toward ensuring that every person who disappears is treated with the urgency and respect they deserve.

Conclusion

The current lack of a centralized database for missing persons in Maine has left families to struggle without the full support of law enforcement. While some agencies have protocols in place to report missing persons, the inconsistent enforcement of these protocols leaves families like Tammy Lacher Scully’s to fight for the visibility and recognition of their loved ones. As the state considers legislative action, it’s clear that a comprehensive list maintained by Maine State Police could be a critical tool in ensuring that missing persons are not forgotten and that families are given the support they need during the most difficult of times.

Disclaimer – Our editorial team has thoroughly fact-checked this article to ensure its accuracy and eliminate any potential misinformation. We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity in our content.

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