A former police negotiator has outlined how police's operation will play out as the search for missing Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips and his three children ramps up.
On Tuesday, police announced an $80,000 reward for information that leads to the location and safe return of Ember, 8, Maverick, 9, and Jayda, 10, who have been missing since December 2021, after they were taken by their father, Tom Phillips.
Police officers have swarmed the Marokopa area over the last few days, setting up a forward operating base near the coast.
The police Eagle helicopter has been in the air, combing the area in search of the missing family. Police have also brought in quad bikes for the search in case officers need to head off the road to find Phillips.
So far, police said it has received "a number" of emails and calls since the reward was offered and is now sifting through the information.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, former police negotiator Lance Burdett said the latest reward offer represents a crucial stage of the search.
"Whenever you offer a reward for something like this, it always generates a lot of attention, as it's done now," he said.
"It can be the tipping point for people, but you have to sift out from that real information from people who thought they might have seen somebody.
"It's a lot of work for the police now."
"There will be some information there that police will know that no one else knows," Burdett said.
Checkpoints are in place in the area as the search intensifies for Tom Phillips and his three children. (Source: 1News)
He said the reward will be especially appealing for those who may have helped Phillips over the past two years. He believes that, combined with police interview techniques, the reward may open "new avenues of opportunity".
"The longer these things go on, the harder it is for family, for those that have helped — because you can't do this alone.
"It makes it more difficult for them to come forward."
He said police's new conversation style of interviewing would "make it a lot easier" for people to come forward.
Burdett said another tipping point for those helping Phillips would be the offer of immunity — especially if they are doing it for the welfare of the children.
"You've got to care for these kids," he said.
Burdett said immunity would be based on a person's involvement and what they may have done.
"Just because you say sorry, it doesn't explain what you've done, it doesn't expunge it," he said.
"Were they doing it to help the children? Or were they doing it to actively hide the family?"
Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders said the reward is targeting those with direct knowledge about the whereabouts of the children and "inviting those people to come forward". (Source: Breakfast)
Burdett said it was "very important" that police get information in the two-week period the reward is available.
"A reward is done as basically the last step, so they've exhausted everything else they can. They've generated what sounds like very credible information."
Burdett believes officers will stay in the area "until that two weeks is up".
He said there is likely a "balancing act" to execute the operation but ensure the welfare of the children.
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