BOZEMAN — Have you ever checked Montana’s Missing Persons Database? That list might be longer than you expect.
Tuesday was National Missing Persons Day, and Bozeman police used the occasion to bring attention to one of their own cases.
“We chose Paul’s story because he’s our only active missing person here for the Bozeman Police Department,” said Deputy Chief Joseph Swanson.
WATCH: Did you know Bozeman Police handle missing person cases weekly? Most are resolved quickly, but Paul Batson has been missing since May 2018
Swanson, who has been with the department for 18 years, walked through a recent Facebook post detailing the disappearance of Paul Batson, an adult who traveled to Bozeman in search of a job with the U.S. Postal Service.
Swanson recalled May 2018, when Batson’s mother contacted police to report her son missing.
Officers began speaking with friends and family members to build a timeline of Batson’s last known movements.
“The Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office, we learned, had dealt with Paul’s vehicle. It was reported as abandoned in Reed Point,” Swanson said.
After weeks of extensive searching, police came up empty.
“He was never found,” Swanson said.
While Batson’s case is closed, he remains listed as an active missing person. Swanson explained that anyone missing will stay in the database until “you have some definitive evidence that that person has been located or their remains have been located.”
Although Batson is the only active missing person in Bozeman right now, Swanson says police deal with missing persons reports regularly.
“Probably weekly,” he said.
Most cases are resolved quickly, often involving juveniles considered runaways.
“A majority of these cases are related to juveniles who may be considered runaways. I’ve heard one call come in today. Sometimes people get a little bit excited, and because there’s a break in communication, they will immediately call,” Swanson said.
Others remain unresolved, such as a Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office case involving 63-year-old David Butzin, last seen in the Bear Canyon area.
RELATED: Search for David Butzin sparks controversy over criminal past
Swanson offered advice:
“Certainly talk to family members and friends. If they’re going to be going out into areas that don’t have active cell coverage, have a good idea of where they’re going to be and when they should return. And I would always encourage people to err on the side of caution. Contact law enforcement if you suspect someone is missing,” he said.
To read through the Montana Missing Persons Database, visit this link: https://app.doj.mt.gov/apps/missingPersonDatabase/search/
