A DORSET Police officer specially trained in carrying out searches was “not fully familiar” with the force’s missing person policy.
PC Tarik Dugri, a licensed search officer, was asked to look in Swanage for Gaia Pope on the evening of November 7, 2017, the day she went missing.
The officer, who was part of enhanced police team, was asked to “take a drive” in Swanage by PC Jon Kuspert to look for 19-year-old Ms Pope on his way back to Bournemouth from Wareham at the end of his shift at around 9pm.
READ MORE: Gaia Pope inquest continues with Dorset Police evidence
Speaking at Ms Pope’s inquest on Friday, PC Dugri said he was “not fully familiar” with Dorset Police’s missing person policy introduced in 2006 but was confident he would have seen it.
Ms Pope went missing in Swanage on November 7, 2017 and was found 11 days later less than a mile away on a clifftop near Dancing Ledge.
PC Dugri said he was not informed of Ms Pope’s vulnerability, her suffering with PTSD or epilepsy and was asked to search “in passing”.
He admitted if he had been given more information, he would have questioned the response to the search.
Senior coroner for Dorset Rachael Griffin asked PC Dugri if he had seen the force’s missing person policy. He said he “would have seen” it but couldn’t recall exactly when. He added he was not “fully familiar” with the policy.
Jurors also heard PC Dugri didn’t give advice on the search or make any further enquiries other than limited information given by PC Kuspert.
PC Stuart Goatley, who worked the night shift between November 7 and 8, told the hearing he “couldn’t recall” if he was given a description of Ms Pope when tasked to search for her in Swanage.
The officer attended Ms Pope’s aunt Talia’s address in the early hours of November 8 and then checked all public toilets in the area.
He said he "would imagine" Talia Pope would have said about Ms Pope's vulnerability.
Speaking of whether he was given a description of the teen, PC Goatley said: “I would surmise that the control room would have given a description over the radio, we must have had.
“If we hadn't been given one we would have asked the question.”
The inquest continues.
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