The purpose of the annual Missing Person Report (MPR) is to provide a summary of missing person cases throughout the state in an effort to increase situational awareness and collaboration and bring these individuals home. The MPR also aims to provide information on North Dakota’s laws and policies governing these types of investigations. Agencies or officers with information on any of the cases summarized in this product are encouraged to contact the investigating agency.
Introduction and Scope Note
The North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) acts as the clearinghouse for missing persons in the State of North Dakota in conjunction with the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cases tracked by the NDHP are limited to those that result in a missing person entry in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). NCIC is an index of missing persons and criminal information, designed to facilitate fast and efficient information sharing between law enforcement agencies.
This product focuses on the data of reported, cleared, actively missing, and the individual demographics of missing persons in North Dakota from January 1, 2025, through January 1, 2026.
98% of the Reported Missing Persons in North Dakota were located in 2025
During the reporting time frame 1,389 missing persons reports were made to North Dakota law enforcement agencies (local, state, federal, and tribal) across the state. Of which 1,368 missing persons were located and removed from NCIC and cleared from law enforcement case reports. There were 984 unique individuals reported missing with 406 reoccurring missing persons cases in 2025. Currently there are still 21 reported missing persons unaccounted for. All missing persons cases in North Dakota can be viewed on the Office of Attorney General’s webpage.
Demographic Breakdown of the Current Missing Persons
Number Still Missing | Under 18 | Over 18 | African American | Asian | Native American | Unknown | White | Male | Female |
21 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 10 |
Total Reported 2025 | - | - | 188 | 9 | 388 | 118 | 686 | 622 | 767 |
North Dakota Alerts Usage for Missing Persons
Alerts | Requests | Activated | Found Before | Didn’t Meet |
| Amber | 0 | - | - | - |
| Silver | 16 | 1 | 9 | 5 |
| Blue | 0 | - | - | - |
| Feather | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| MEP | 1 | - | - | 1 |
North Dakota Experienced an Increased Number of NCMEC Cases in 2025
NCMEC serves as the national clearing house for missing persons and provides information to law enforcement throughout the nation concerning missing and exploited children in their jurisdiction. The cases NCMEC provides fall into one of the types:
Missing children | Family abduction | Nonfamily abduction |
Endangered Runaway | Lost, injured, or otherwise missing | Sexually exploited |
Online enticement | Child victims of pornography | Child victims of sex trafficking |
Other sexual assaults/crimes |
|
In 2025, NCMEC reported 66 cases to the NDHP, this was an 83% increase from 2024 when 55 cases were reported.
Conclusion:
The 2025 missing persons data for North Dakota reflects both an increase in reporting activity and a continued strong commitment by law enforcement to resolving cases. While total reported missing persons rose from 1,326 in 2024 to 1,389 in 2025, the overall clearance rate remained consistently high at 98 percent, demonstrating effective coordination among local, state, federal, and tribal agencies. The increase in National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports further underscores evolving reporting trends and heightened awareness.
Although the vast majority of cases were resolved within the reporting period, a small number of individuals remain unaccounted for, highlighting the ongoing need for sustained investigative efforts and public engagement. Ensuring that missing persons information particularly photographs is promptly posted by reporting agencies can significantly enhance visibility and recovery efforts. These statistics provide an accurate snapshot of missing persons activity in North Dakota during the 2025 reporting period and reinforce the importance of continued collaboration, timely reporting, and public access to information to support successful case outcomes.
Contact Information:
- North Dakota Highway Patrol – Sgt. Tim Coughlin; tpcoughl@nd.gov; 701-328-2450
- North Dakota State and Local Intelligence Center; ndslic@nd.gov; 701-328-8172