I find it apalling that there was no repremand, if indeed what Dinse said was a fact. It almost sets it up in one's mind of incompetence of the PD.
That is to me, a hinderence in this case. Now the silence on all parts. Did the PD know that night, exactly what happened to Elizabeth, and felt no harm was done with people tramping out and about the house? Could be.
They may have thought they knew. Lois Smart said they seemed too casual when they took the call. It's natural for police to think of a runaway situation, when they hear a teenager or adult is missing. I think that's why the Smarts went on and got the neighbors. I could see them not being able to stand still and wait patiently for police.
So often, when I would lose sight of a child in a crowd or a store, I would think of Adam Walsh, whose mother only went to another aisle of the store. When you feel that way, you want instant action, from somebody!
Since well over 90% of such calls LE recieves are about juveniles who came home late, snuck out or run away, it isn't at all surprising that LE would not have initially considered the Smart home to be a crime scene.
Why is it that you can give the Riccis a pass, but not cut LE and inch of slack?