Tracing missing teenagers 'unsustainable', says Sir Peter Fahy

GMP Chief Constable, Sir Peter Fahy

Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), says time spent tracing missing teenagers is an "unsustainable" burden for police, he said other police work was compromised by thousands of calls better dealt with by social workers.

He said it cost the force £30m a year.

A current case in Rochdale involves a 14-year-old girl who persistently runs away from home; police spend time and resources searching for her and have taken her into protective custody but no sooner is she returned home than she absconds again.

It is understood the vulnerable young teenager has alleged she has twice been raped by older men and has contracted STDs.

Rochdale Social Services is involved but the teenager's family say they have been told there is not the money for the secure accommodation they have asked the Council to place the girl in for her own protection.

Sir Peter stressed the priority must be to protect children, but he questioned whether police officers were the best professionals to be dealing with what was a complex problem.

He said: "The public and politicians have made it clear that they don't want to see young people being put at risk in these situations because of the concern about what happened in places like Rochdale and Rotherham.

"We need a different approach."

GMP's response to the problem has been to set up a special team of detectives, dedicated to tracking down and returning missing people.