Lewisham (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Police are appealing for information after 15-year-old Reion from Lewisham went missing three days ago, sparking growing concern for his safety.
The 15-year-old Reion vanished from his Lewisham home in Bellingham on October 8 and hasn’t been seen since.
The kid is known to visit the Bromley and Beckenham neighborhoods in south-east London, according to the police.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and provide the reference 4749/08OCT25, according to the police.
Local search volunteer groups are critical in the Lewisham area in organizing searches for missing persons, like Reion, especially teenagers who are known to go missing from home.
However, organized SAR (Search and Rescue) operations are usually staffed by trained volunteer teams who function under official coordination protocols with police or emergency services.
In a social media post, MPS Lewisham said:
“#MISSING | Have you seen Reion, 15 years old, missing from #Bellingham, #Lewisham since 8th October.
Known to frequent #Beckenham, and #Bromley.
If seen, please call 101 and quote 4749/08OCT25.”
Are there local search volunteer groups coordinating searches?
In order to maintain safety, effective coverage, and not to hinder official investigation efforts in a missing person case, most Search and Rescue (SAR) teams need to have formal training and work in coordination with each other.
Generally, unplanned or unorganized volunteer searches are not incorporated into official police-led searches because of liability, safety, and procedural issues. If needed, the police may reach out to organized SAR groups or community organizations to request their assistance in searching for missing persons.
Often, volunteer organizations will utilize mapping and planning tools for coordination of search areas, less duplication of effort, and maximize RSVP of efforts.
In municipal situations like Lewisham, local community groups, youth centers, or neighborhood patrols may act as informal assistance for a missing person investigation or have information sharing networks to assist efforts of locating a missing person.
