Deputy Commissioner says police scheme to find missing veterans is “fundamentally the right thing” for Surrey

Surrey’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner said a scheme that will help police officers find vulnerable military veterans who have gone missing is “fundamentally the right thing” for the county. 

Ellie Vesey-Thompson spoke at the Surrey Armed Forces Covenant Conference, which took place at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright yesterday, to mark the launch of the Forcer Protocol in Surrey. 

She was joined by Surrey Police Superintendent Matt Barcraft-Barnes, Chief Inspector Tom Renwick, and Claire Lilly, whose former husband took his own life in May 2020 after going missing.

Dad-of-three Lance Corporal Alan Forcer suffered with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving in Northern Ireland and Kosovo. 

Claire and her son Josh have campaigned tirelessly to bring the Forcer Protocol to police forces across the country. 

Veterans, reservists and anyone serving in the forces, as well as their family members, friends and services supporting them, can now complete a form which records information that could be helpful if they go missing. 

You can find the form here.

Addressing the conference, Ellie said: "Preventing suicide and harm by finding people who have gone missing as quickly as possible is the best thing for them, for their family and friends, for Surrey residents, and for our officers. 

“Any tool that can assist with finding those in crisis is worth it. It means people like Claire and Josh won’t have to hear the worst news of their lives.

“It is fundamentally the right thing to do.” 

Read more here.