(20 ILCS 2605/2605-375) (was 20 ILCS 2605/55a in part)

Sec. 2605-375. Missing persons; Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS).

(a) To utilize the statewide Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) for the purpose of providing electronic access by authorized entities to criminal justice data repositories and effecting an immediate law enforcement response to reports of missing persons, including lost, missing or runaway minors, lost or missing individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, and missing endangered seniors. The Illinois State Police shall implement an automatic data exchange system to compile, to maintain, and to make available to other law enforcement agencies for immediate dissemination data that can assist appropriate agencies in recovering missing persons and provide access by authorized entities to various data repositories available through LEADS for criminal justice and related purposes. To assist the Illinois State Police in this effort, funds may be appropriated from the LEADS Maintenance Fund. Funds may be appropriated from the LEADS Maintenance Fund to the Illinois State Police to finance any of its lawful purposes or functions in relation to defraying the expenses associated with establishing, maintaining, and supporting the issuance of electronic citations.

(b) In exercising its duties under this Section, the Illinois State Police shall provide a uniform reporting format (LEADS) for the entry of pertinent information regarding the report of a missing person into LEADS. The report must include all of the following:

(1) Relevant information obtained from the notification concerning the missing person, including all of the following:

(A) a physical description of the missing person;

(B) the date, time, and place that the missing person was last seen; and

(C) the missing person's address.

(2) Information gathered by a preliminary investigation, if one was made.

(3) A statement by the law enforcement officer in charge stating the officer's assessment of the case based on the evidence and information received.

(b-5) The Illinois State Police shall:

(1) Develop and implement a policy whereby a statewide or regional alert would be used in situations relating to the disappearances of individuals, based on criteria and in a format established by the Illinois State Police. Such a format shall include, but not be limited to, the age of the missing person and the suspected circumstance of the disappearance.

(2) Notify all law enforcement agencies that reports of missing persons shall be entered as soon as the minimum level of data specified by the Illinois State Police is available to the reporting agency and that no waiting period for the entry of the data exists.

(3) Compile and retain information regarding lost, abducted, missing, or runaway minors in a separate data file, in a manner that allows that information to be used by law enforcement and other agencies deemed appropriate by the Director, for investigative purposes. The information shall include the disposition of all reported lost, abducted, missing, or runaway minor cases.

(4) Compile and maintain an historic data repository relating to lost, abducted, missing, or runaway minors and other missing persons, including, but not limited to, lost or missing individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities and missing endangered seniors, in order to develop and improve techniques utilized by law enforcement agencies when responding to reports of missing persons.

(5) Create a quality control program regarding confirmation of missing person data, timeliness of entries of missing person reports into LEADS, and performance audits of all entering agencies.

(c) The Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct a training program for law enforcement personnel of local governmental agencies in the Missing Persons Identification Act.

(d) The Illinois State Police shall perform the duties prescribed in the Missing Persons Identification Act, subject to appropriation.

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)