Police officer booked for allegedly skipping confirmation of missing person's safety before closing case
Photos and personal details of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, who has been missing on the southern island of Jeju since May, are shown in this poster provided by Jang's family. Yonhap
JEJU — Police said Thursday they have booked an officer over allegations he closed a missing person case without confirming the safety of the person who went missing on the southern island of Jeju.
Jang Mi-ran, 37, was first reported missing by her family on May 15, two days after she left her home. The family has claimed the police officer who filed the report told them he had spoken with her by phone and confirmed her safety.
Jang, however, continued to remain unheard from, prompting her family to file a second missing person report on July 19.
When police investigators tried to confirm the claimed call, Jang's call logs showed no record of any call between her and the police officer, according to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency.
The police are closely reviewing the steps that led to the initial case being closed, the agency said, adding all surveillance footage that could have shown Jang's movements on the day she went missing had been deleted prior to July 19.
The police and the Coast Guard were set to launch a full-scale search later Thursday by deploying an average of 140 personnel per day until Wednesday, along with helicopters, drones, search dogs, divers and patrol vessels.
At the time of her disappearance, Jang reportedly had long straight hair and was wearing a gold bracelet. She is estimated to be 158 centimeters tall, with a slim build.