05/06/2026
Last week, we received a call from a woman who was worried about her husband, who had recently been diagnosed with dementia.
The man had been at the doctors when he refused their advice to go to A&E, driving off in his car and leaving his wife behind. 😔
With concerns for his physical health as well as his dementia diagnosis, the woman called us to help find her husband and ensure he was safe.
The man, who was in his 70s, wasn’t answering his phone and shouldn’t have been driving due to his poor health.
Our local officers acted quickly - speaking to staff at nearby pubs and restaurants, talking to people who were walking in the area and checking CCTV, and within an hour, we had two possible sightings of the man.
With a possible location, we utilised the NPAS helicopter and were soon able to locate the man’s car, but it was locked, and the man wasn’t inside. 🤔
After patrolling the area on foot, we found the man near a pond.
Officers were able to talk to the man and offer him support. Eventually he accepted the help and was taken to the hospital to get the care he needed, much to the relief of his wife.
After reuniting the man with his wife, we took the time to speak to her about the Herbert Protocol - a scheme we support that can help find people with dementia if they go missing. 💡
The scheme encourages family and friends to fill out an online form that will help police if a loved one goes missing by collating key pieces of information, such as a physical description, familiar places, health details and an up-to-date photo
We helped the woman fill out our online form, and she was one of 475 people that have done so since it was launched. 👏
For more info about the Herbert Protocol, or to fill out an online form for people who live in Cambridgeshire, visit our dedicated web page: https://orlo.uk/FI78n