The basis of all investigation is interviewing. There is a difference between interviewing and interrogation. Interrogation attempts to extract information from an unwilling subject, often using trickery or subterfuge. When we in SAR attempt to gain information, we are presuming that we have a willing and cooperative subject. This is the basis of the interview.

The following are some things to remember while conducting an interview;

* Try to conduct the interview in a quiet place away from the hubbub of the command post. In particular, turn off your radio, or monitor an administrative channel set aside for you. Your subject will be more relaxed, and you will be able to concentrate better on the information given.

* Always have two investigators conduct the interview, when possible. One should ask the questions, and the other takes notes. You cannot listen, observe, and take notes at the same time.

* The interviewers main job is to ask questions and listen. Try not to make value judgments about the information at the time of the interview, since this may affect either your demeanor to the type of questions you ask.

* Consider tape recording the interview. This will give you and others on the overhead team an opportunity to rehearse the interview at a later time. The inflection picked up on tape recording may sound completely different when you hear it again. Others may also hear things you did not pick up on in the interview. Most people will agree to having the interview taped if you explain the reasons.

* The interviewer should face the interviewee. He or she should be at same level as the interviewee, i.e., if the person you are interviewing is sitting, you should sit also. Eye contact is important to establish a trust relationship, but not too much eye contact. Most people can't tolerate more than about 10 seconds of direct eye contact.

* Remember that about 40% of our communications are non-verbal. It is important to watch for hand gestures, head nodding, the way the subject holds his arms, etc. You can usually learn almost as much from the subject by watching him as listening to him.

* Always be honest. Don't lie to subject about the chances of finding the missing person alive or what your plans and efforts so far have been. Maintain a sense of positive urgency about the search and your need for information without conveying any false sense of hope or pessimism. Particularly in the case of relatives, assure the subject that we will continue to search until the missing person is found.

* Have a written series of questions before you start the interview. The standard NASAR long form is excellent for an in-depth interview. Add questions about the particular circumstances of this incident to the form. Follow up on new questions as they are raised, but don't let the flow of the interview get completely disrupted.

* The point of an interview is gain information, not give it away. Always have some agreed upon part of the missing person's description that will not be revealed to the public. This can be used to validate a witnesses' story of seeing your missing person. (Be careful about using clothing as your secret information, since most clothing descriptions are inaccurate, or the missing person may have changed or discarded his clothing.) Don't reveal information by your questions. Ask open-ended questions that the subject will have difficulty answering with a yes or no. Don't lead the subject on if he starts giving the "right" answers. This is easy to do subconsciously if you are not careful. Maintain a neutral, non-confrontational demeanor throughout the interview.

* Assume that family members will not be completely truthful about the past history or current state of mind of their relative. Always confirm information given by family members with co-workers, friends, etc. It is probable that information obtained from these sources will be more accurate than from family members, particularly if there is anything in the family's background they would like to hide.

* Always end the interview with the question "Is there anything I haven't asked you that might help us find this missing person?". Pause and remain silent after you ask the question, as if you expect the subject to have further information. In my experience, some of our most significant information has come from the answers to this question.

* After the interview is complete, review the results with your fellow investigator. Summarize the main information gained, list areas that need further follow-up with this subject, and other people this subject has suggested might have further information. Pass your summary information along to plans and the search manager.

The most common contact with possible informants for ground searchers will be through the field interview. This may be talking to people on a trail, conducting door-to-door interviews, or responding to inquiries from the public. Many of the same techniques will be used, excepting that the interviews will be more spontaneous. Spontaneous public interviews produce some of the most significant clues found during most searches.

The importance of ground teams doing a quick interview of everyone they meet on the trail cannot be overemphasized. Learning proper methods of door-to-door interviewing will also pay large dividends to the search team. A separate class on field interviewing is available and recommended for all search team members.

At least as many search incidents are solved by investigation as by actually searching for the missing person. Many more searches would end sooner if good investigation was started early in the search and continued throughout the search.

Investigation is a learned skill that is developed through education, practice, and experience. Persons with a good SAR field background that seem to have the ability to find information and make rational conclusions based on that information should be considered for investigator positions on the overhead team. Investigation is the process of finding, verifying, and analyzing information relevant to your incident.

Some points to keep in mind include;

* The starting point of the investigation should always be the person or persons who actually last saw the missing person. From there, try to work your way back in time, trying to interview each person in a chronological order. This prevents a lot of misinformation due to confusion about what sequence events occurred.

* One of the most important and overlooked tasks of the investigator is do determine the missing persons likely response to being lost. Knowing if the person is normally passive or aggressive, pessimistic or optimistic, will give the overhead team a great deal of planning data on which to base their search activities. Be careful about making assumptions regarding a persons true personality based on only talking to one or two people. Keep an open mind, interview as many people as possible, and the true picture will soon become apparent.

* Try to get the missing person's address book from the family. This may contain more than a few friends that the family had no knowledge of.

* Always be aware of the possibility that the person may be missing but not lost. A family background indicating financial or marital problems, or drug/alcohol abuse should make you wary of the possibility that the missing person may not want to be found. The investigation of this type of missing person is much different and more difficult than the investigation of person both missing and wanting to be found.

* An important piece of evidence is whether this person has ever been lost before, and, if so, what was his behavior while lost. This is much more important than whether or not the missing person is familiar with the area, but it gets asked much less frequently.

* Confirming specific footwear and sole pattern should be a top priority for the investigator. If you have not been able to find track in the search area, don't overlook the possibility of sending a tracker to the missing persons home or work if not too far away from the search site. This is one way to confirm a certain track with a high degree of probability.

* With a few exceptions, investigators should not spend much time on the missing person's medical condition. It is rarely a factor in the conduct or the ultimate outcome of the search. One exception would be if the missing person has suspected or known psychiatric problems that could affect the safety of the searchers or make it more likely that the missing person is suicidal.

* Males and females react differently to being lost. Males more often tend to try to self-rescue, while females more often tend to remain in one place when lost. Investigators should try to deduce from past behavior whether or not the missing person will conform to these characteristics.

* Missing children present a particularly difficult problem for investigators. Your best source of information is usually friends in the missing person's school, but children tend to be the most difficult group to extract information from. Parents may not give accurate information for a number of reasons, including neglect, guilt, and general parental incompetence. The child may have left the family to due some perceived or real abuse, and investigators should be alert to this possibility.

* Missing teenagers also present a challenge to the investigators. Again, teenage friends and acquaintances from school or work may be your best source of information. Teachers, in the case of both teenagers and younger children, will also offer some interesting insights into the child's behavior. It is not uncommon for missing children to actually be at a friend's house, where the parents did not know that the child was the focus of a search. Wide dissemination of the missing person description to local media is probably the best way to locate the child under these circumstances.

* The longer a search goes on without finding clues or the missing person, the more likely it is that he is not in your search area. This is the time for investigators to ask; - Did this person have any access to a vehicle? - Did this person have any money or credit cards? - Did this person have any reason they would not want to be found? - Is there any possibility this person could have hitchhiked out?

* Investigators need to check places and information that will not be part of the search operation. Information includes things like cab and bus companies, DMV records, rap sheets, phone company records, address books, journals and diaries, etc. Places include hospitals, jails, rescue missions, motels, bars, airports and bus stations, and the missing persons home, relatives' homes, and other places frequented by the missing person outside the search area.

* The most important thing to remember is that the investigation should start with the search and continue for as long as the search continues. A good investigator develops a series of clues the same way a good tracker develops a series of tracks; follow either long enough and you find the missing person! Don't give up because nothing seems to be making sense. The most confusing searches are the ones where one piece of good information made all the previous clues clear.

* Any search may turn in to a criminal investigation at any time. Keep good records of whom you talked to and when. As soon as you have any indication of a possible crime, call for the local detectives. Once the interview process turns to interrogation, your talents can be better used elsewhere.

With the advent of more urban searches, SAR teams have been faced with the task of turning clues from interviews as well as more traditional methods. One of the prime methods of clue production is the door-to-door interview. This differs from other methods of interviewing in several significant areas.

I will detail some of these methods below.

A. Remember that someone in the area of the point last seen has information about your missing person. Thoroughness in door-to-door interviewing is just as important as in your other areas of investigation and clue finding.

B. When you decide to use door to door, have a plan laid out in advance. Decide where you want to cover, the time you have available, and how much manpower you can use. Map the area, and provide a list of addresses if possible. Fire department run maps are usually the best source of maps for door-to-door planning.

C. Teams should list all address contacted, noting whether people were home, and any significant information obtained. The name(s) of the person(s) contacted should be recorded in case future contact is needed. Any address not contacted will have to be revisited by another team.

D. Start your door to door as early as possible. Do not wait until evening if you have the option. Always stop door to door by 9:00 p.m. People will not respond positively to being contacted after then, and darkness is an increased safety hazard to your teams.

E. Teams should be given safety briefings before the start of their assignments, including areas or specific addresses that contain hazards, such as vicious animals, known criminal activity, etc.

F. No less than two persons per team should be used in door to door. Three person teams are preferable in high crime areas if manpower is available.

G. Teams should be alert approaching houses. Note any vehicles visible from the street and record license plates for future reference. In case of trouble, plan your escape route before you enter the property. Remember, all cases of missing persons should be treated as a possible crime until proven otherwise. You may be contacting the suspect in the case without knowing it.

H. When knocking on doors, do not use the doorbell. Knock hard with your hand or flashlight. This lets the person know that you are not there for a social call. If asked who is there, state your affiliation in clear and authoritative voice. Let them know it is important for you to talk to them.

I. Always stand to one side of the door when knocking, in case someone inside fires a shot through the door. Stand far enough away from the door to encourage the person inside to come out, rather than you having to go in. Never enter a house, even if invited.

J. Be polite. You are interrupting the person, particularly in the evening. Let the person know you are looking for a lost person, and ask for his or her time to answer a few questions. Most people are happy to help, especially if you have a sense of positive urgency about your assignment.

K. In the unlikely event that you encounter someone who refuses to talk to you, apologize for the interruption, and note the address and circumstances so a sworn officer can contact them. Be equally suspicious of people that seem overly eager to help or provide information.

L. Rehearse your questions before you start your assignment. One person should ask the questions and the other should take notes. You cannot ask questions and write at the same time. Be aware of the person's gestures and body language, not just his verbal responses.

M. Always give the minimum amount of information about the missing person to the interviewee. You always want to get information, not give. Have a "lie test" question made up in advance. For example, if the person you are looking for is six feet tall and weighs 290 pounds, a good "lie test" question might be "Is the person you saw small and thin?". If the person answers yes, it is a good indication that he saw someone other than your missing person. This enables you to thank the person for his cooperation and quickly move on.

N. If the person is able to give you good information without prompting, be sure to obtain all the information you can on how to re-contact, especially if the person may leave for work or a social engagement. Notify the command post if this person seems to have especially good information so an investigator can be sent out to your location.

O. Use all your interviewing skills. Listen to what is being said. Turn down your radio so it does not distract you. Observe the interior of the home. Ask questions to clarify responses you don't understand. Give your partner the opportunity to ask questions as well.

P. The last question you should ask is "Is there anything else you can think of that might help us find this missing person?". After asking, be silent and look intently at the interviewee as if you expect an answer. More information can been gained from this last question than from the entire interview.

Q. Thank the person for his time once the interview has been completed. Ask permission to search the property, if appropriate.

R. When leaving the property, do not turn your back until you are sure the person is back inside the house and the door is closed. If you feel at all nervous, have one team member watch the door while the rest back out.

S. During debriefing, be prepared to give a list of all addresses contacted and any missed. Let the debriefer know of any significant information obtained, as well as any suspicions you may have about a particular address.

Remember: How you ask questions and how you listen will determine the amount of information you receive. Be courteous but firm, project a sense of positive urgency, be concerned for your safety and the safety of your team members, and don't give away information. Gathering clues finds lost persons, whether in the wilderness or in the suburbs.