Police shouldn't be beyond criticism. The NPPD has been highly confusing in their approach.
1. They say that there is no criminal investigation and thus they cannot get search warrants.
According to the Legal Information Institute: "Probable cause exists when there is a fair probability that a search will result in evidence of a crime being discovered." So you don't need to know a crime has happened and you don't need an active criminal investigation. You just need a fair probability that evidence of a crime will be discovered. A man embarked on a four-month roadtrip with his girlfriend in a van owned by her. He arrived at their home two months early, with her van but without her. He didn't notify her family or police of anything unusual or that she was missing. Her family lost contact with her weeks ago. That is assuredly enough for a search warrant although probably not enough for an arrest warrant.
2. The say that there is no criminal investigation, yet they named Brian Laundrie as a "person of interest."
How can someone be a perosn of interest if you're simultaenously claiming that no crime has actually occurred? If you're confident enough to name someone a POI for a crime that doesn't even exist yet, you have enough for warrants.
3. They've devoted a huge amount of resources towards finding Brian Laundrie, even though he's an adult and he's not wanted for a crime. If the lack of a crime was enough to hamper the search for Gabby, then why are they searching for Brian? He isn't wanted for a crime and he can do whatever he wants, right?
4. They allowed the POI to get away, despite confidently assuring everyone who would listen that they knew exactly where he was.
