Police have stopped listing gender and last names of missing persons in Mississauga, Brampton

Peel Regional Police will no longer release the last name or gender of a missing person in most cases, changing a longtime practice.

In a statement sent to insauga.com today, a police spokesperson said the department has recently changed its policy about disclosing descriptions.

“Where there is a picture, we will no longer provide last names unless there is an investigative value to do so,” the spokesperson said in an email.

Police are concerned that releasing the last name will make the missing person vulnerable to future online searches.

As for gender, police say they will no longer reveal if the person is male or female over fears they may misidentify the sexual orientation of those who cannot be found.

Police could not confirm if the policy move is a result of public complaints or a change to reflect shifting societal norms.

Toronto Police also have a similar policy in place as of this week.

In two separate cases sent out by police today, the missing persons are referred to as “Andy” and “Faizan” without indicating if they are male or female