A Search Clue Can Become Evidence
Before the Search: The Briefing Room | SAR Series Fall 2026
Article 3 of 7
Imagine a searcher finds a jacket near a creek. It resembles the missing person’s jacket, but nobody knows whether it belongs to them. The immediate value may be directional: the discovery could change where teams search next. It may also become evidence relevant to what happened, when, and who was present.
That double role is why the response matters.
First, the searcher should report the find through the operation’s established process and provide an accurate location. A vague description such as “just past the creek” is hard to revisit. Record what can be observed without turning it into a conclusion. “Blue jacket on the ground near the east bank” is different from “the victim’s jacket was discarded by the offender.”
Second, avoid unnecessary handling. The location, position, condition, surrounding tracks, and nearby objects may be as informative as the item itself. Moving it to show teammates or taking it back to the command post can destroy context. Immediate life safety and the directions of the responsible authority still govern what happens in the field.
Third, document the discovery honestly. Who first saw it? At what time? What did they do before and after reporting it? If an item was touched or moved, say so. A clear account of a mistake is more useful than a tidy account that is not true.
Not every clue is crime evidence. Searchers should not make that determination by themselves at the edge of a trail. Their role is to recognize something potentially relevant, protect the information it carries, and get it to the right people. Law enforcement and other responsible agencies can then decide what collection or further examination is appropriate.
At LPA in our Mounted Forensic Operations System training program, we teach search and death investigation as connected disciplines because a missing person operation may become a recovery or criminal investigation. The habits formed early in a search can preserve choices later.
Series note: This article is part of Before the Search, our series leading up to the inaugural search and rescue class in LPA’s Mounted Forensic Operations System (MFOS) program. The NASAR Search & Rescue Academy will be held at the Laura Pettler & Associates International Forensics Institute at Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, November 15–22, 2026.
