Help & user guide

Overview

MPCC is a missing-persons research map and analyst workspace. Anyone can browse cases on the public map. Create a free account to earn XP, save progress, and — when approved — use the private Command Center to coordinate case work.

Public: Home map, Search, Statistics, Map View (when signed in).
Private: Command Center cases, operations maps, team chat, and investigation tools.

Browse without signing in

You do not need an account to view cases on the map or open case detail pages.

• Home — full-screen map explorer with country and province filters.
• Search — find people by name, case number, or location text.
• Statistics — counts by country, province, gender, and age.

XP and saved preferences require a free account.

Map & filters

Home map vs Map View

• Home (/) — main public map with side panel for case details.
• Map View (/map) — signed-in view with extra filter dropdowns and city/name search on the map.

Country & filters

Choose a country first (Canada, United States, etc.). Optionally narrow by province/state, gender, or reward status. Use Reset to clear filters while keeping the same country.

Display modes

• Markers — individual case pins (clustered when zoomed out).
• Heatmap — density overlay; best for very large regions.
• Markers + heatmap — both layers together.
• Timeline / Age / Gender / Reward / Investigation — color pins by category (Map View).

Map controls

• Click a pin or cluster to open case details.
• Use Go to city or Search by name on Map View to jump the map.
• Records without map pins are geocoded by site administrators (not available on the public map).

Search

Use the search bar in the top navigation or visit Search. You can search by name (partial matches), case number, city, or province. On the map, name search supports * as a wildcard.

Case pages & public tips

Each case has a detail page with photos, timeline, sources, and investigation links. Open a case from the map or search results.

Where enabled, the Submit a tip form lets the public report sightings. Include date, location, and descriptive details. Tips are reviewed by case coordinators.

Your account

Register & sign in

1. Create a free account with username, password, and email.
2. Check your inbox and click the activation link (check spam if needed).
3. Sign in to save XP and access Map View and Command Center.

Forgot password

On the sign-in page, click Forgot your password?, enter your account email, and follow the reset link (valid for 2 hours).

Resend activation

If registration succeeded but you never received email, use the resend form on the login page after attempting to sign in.

Command Center

The Command Center is a private workspace for analysts working active cases. Access requires a signed-in account with analyst permissions.

• Dashboard — your cases and team activity.
• Case desk — summary view with map, timeline, and grid overview.
• Operations map — full SAR-style layer stack (see below).
• Team chat — per-case messaging on desk and operations pages.

Case coordinators can add map events, set the last-known anchor, generate search grids, and manage associates. Analysts can update grid cells assigned to them.

Investigation network

Each case has an Investigation network page with two graph views — Maltego-style link analysis for coordinators.

Relationships tab

• The red center is the missing person. Add associates (family, friends, workplaces, frequented locations).
• Link two associates with typed peer edges (knows, coworker, same household, etc.).
• Add phone, email, or social entities as diamond nodes; shared numbers automatically link multiple people.

Last contacts tab

• Log who the subject last talked to — phone calls, texts, social DMs, in-person meetings — with date/time.
• Optionally link a contact to an existing associate (“same person”).
• Shared phone numbers appear as entity nodes tying contacts and associates together.

Map sync (Layer 10)

Associates with coordinates appear on the operations map under Layer 10 · Investigative intelligence. Double-click a pinned node or use Show on map to jump there.

Operations map layers

On a case operations map, toggle layers in the right-hand panel:

Layer preferences are saved per case. If the volunteer grid is empty, the coordinator can click Generate search grid or it may auto-create when a last-known anchor exists.

Public OSINT intake

From a case, open Operations map (not Investigation network). Under the map, open the Investigation workspace and select the dedicated Public OSINT intake tab (separate from OSINT searches, which holds the automated Google/social query packs).

Analyst workflow

• Paste public text and optional source URL.
• Click Parse candidates and review/edit extracted names, URLs, leads, and similar-case hints.
• Click Submit for manager review. Nothing is added to the investigation network automatically.

Case manager workflow

• Review the queue on the Public OSINT intake tab.
• Edit candidates, request more evidence, reject duplicates, or Promote approved items.
• Promoted people and entities appear on Investigation network and/or the operations timeline/map as appropriate.
• Use Approve lead only to keep useful tips in the review record without creating network nodes yet.

XP & badges

Signed-in users earn XP for research activity, for example:

• View a case — 5 XP
• Add a clue — 50 XP
• Timeline event — 30 XP
• Find social account — 75 XP

Your XP total appears in the navigation bar when signed in. Badges unlock at milestone levels.

Official sources & verifying tips

Not every missing-person post on social media is real. Before adding a case or sharing a tip, check it against an official registry when you can.

Tier 1 — start here

• Canada’s Missing (RCMP / NCMPUR) — primary national database; most cases on this site are imported from here.
• Aboriginal Alert — Indigenous missing-person bulletins (verify community alerts here).

When the same person appears twice

If you scrape or import from multiple lists, the system tries to merge duplicates automatically:

• Same bulletin URL — always one map pin; a second source link is added to the case.
• Same NCMPUR / Canada’s Missing case ID — treated as the same person.
• Same name, missing date, and province — merged when local police file numbers differ (e.g. AB26-228890 vs 26-1094).

Data & limitations

• Case data is aggregated from public missing-person registries and partner sources; accuracy varies by source.
• Map coordinates may be exact last-known locations or approximate city/province fallbacks.
• OSM and 511 layers show likely features, not confirmed CCTV or live schedules.
• This tool supports research and coordination — it is not a substitute for law enforcement or emergency services.

For urgent missing-person emergencies, contact local police or emergency services immediately.