Australian Federal Police

National Missing Persons Week will be launched in Canberra this morning by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty.

30,000 people are reported missing to Australian police each year; that is one person every 18 minutes. Fortunately, the majority are located quickly however the impact on their families and friends and the missing people themselves can be devastating.

Commissioner Keelty will be joined by families and friends of missing persons, including Ellen Flint, author of 'Every 18 Minutes' (a book about her experience as the sister of a missing person,) at the launch National Missing Persons Week in Veteran's Park, Canberra.

National Missing Person's Week, which runs from 31 July to 6 August this year, is coordinated by the National Missing Persons Unit (NMPU), hosted by the AFP in Canberra. This year's theme Talk, PLEaS Don't Walk emphasises the importance of people communicating with family and friends when considering the option to leave - and potentially being reported as a missing person.

Every 18 minutes someone in this country goes missing

"There is nothing more distressing than facing the thought that a loved one may be gone. Fortunately here in Australia 99.5% of missing persons are located - 85% within the first weeks and 95% within a month" Commissioner Keelty said

State and territory police spend approximately 120,000 hours every year attending to missing person's reports, conducting searches or investigations and attending to family and loved ones."

Ellen Flint's book Every Eighteen Minutes, will be officially launched as part of National Missing Persons Week and documents both Ellen and her family's experiences when her brother went missing.

This year National Missing Persons Week will feature a number of events organised by both police and non-government agencies right across Australia including church services, book launches, television and radio appearances.

The National Missing Persons Unit and Foxtel's Crime and Investigation network have developed a new partnership which will continue to raise public awareness about Australia's missing persons. Crime and Investigation Network will screen profile pieces that will tell the stories of current missing persons cases and the information surrounding their disappearances. This information will be shared with a potential audience of over one million Foxtel Digital and AUSTAR Digital subscribers.

The posters and pamplets for National Missing Persons Week 2005 were developed by Canberra Institute of Technology design student Jayne Halsey as part of an ongoing partnership between the AFP and Canberra CIT. Her design will also feature on Canberra Milk cartons throughout July and August.