Submit a complaint

The reporting of missing persons at Hammerton Road Police Station

  1. Hammerton Road Police Station was the closest police station to Hillsborough Stadium, just over a mile away. SYP initially directed friends and relatives searching for their loved ones to wait there; from about 4pm, the station also became the designated point for reporting someone missing. This was in line with guidance in the Major Incident Manual to find a suitable location away from the incident.
     
  2. On arrival, relatives and friends were taken into the CID office, where a team of officers filled out missing person forms. Standard SYP forms were used for this, rather than anything specific for the purpose. Once completed, the forms were intended to be delivered to the Casualty Bureau, set up to coordinate information about all those injured or missing. This was a logical and reasonable process for SYP to adopt. However, communications were poor: forms could not be faxed over at first, and the telephone lines to the Casualty Bureau were constantly busy. Some forms were taken by a police motorcyclist.
     
  3. More than 120 such forms were completed, but they appear to have had minimal impact on the identification of any of those who died, as completed forms did not reach the Casualty Bureau fast enough to help. There is evidence to suggest that, in some cases, officers sought to provide information immediately on completion of the form. However, in most cases they were unable to do so, because they had no information themselves.
     
  4. As the number of people looking for loved ones increased, Hammerton Road Police Station became overwhelmed. Alongside acting as a centre for those waiting for information, as well as those reporting someone missing, it was also the meeting point for police officers responding to the disaster and a location for SYP’s Major Incident Room (MIR). Once support workers and volunteers started turning up to assist families and friends, there was not enough room.
     
  5. At about 4.15pm on 15 April 1989, the Hillsborough Boys’ Club was opened to serve as a reception centre for people waiting for information. Once a missing persons’ form had been completed, the friends or relatives were directed to the Boys’ Club, reducing the pressure on Hammerton Road Police Station.
     
  6. The Boys’ Club was almost next door to the police station. It was also a large space and not in use for any other purpose. A member of the clergy who had arrived at Hammerton Road Police Station was able to open it so that it could be quickly put to use. 
     
  7. However, facilities there were limited. There were insufficient chairs for the number of people, poor toilet facilities and only one working telephone until more were installed later in the evening.