Statistics show that 34% of parents in the United States don’t know their child’s exact height, weight and eye color. When a child is reported missing, time can be the greatest adversary. Possessing up-to-date photos and important information about one’s child are important proactive measures a parent can take to assist law enforcement should a child disappear.
To assist parents in this endeavor, Senator Hannon is proud to host the “Operation Safe Child” ID program at the Uniondale Library on Thursday, July 24, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm in conjunction with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Families who participate will receive a free, walled-sized ID card containing a child’s name, biographical information (date of birth, age, gender, height, weight, hair and eye color) and a fingerprint image of both index fingers.
The card is created in under two minutes. It can be carried in a wallet or purse.
Interested parents can also choose to store the fingerprints, basic biographical information and photos of children – this information may be critical in the event of a lost or missing child. The storage of the information is entirely voluntary and requires the express written consent of a parent legal guardian.
Should the parent wish to share the information, it would be digitally recorded and stored in a state database; in the event the NYS DCJS (the agency which stores the information) receives a missing child report, the fingerprints of that child could then be used to help in the return of the missing child.
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For more information, please call Senator Hannon’s Community Office at 516-739-1700, or E-mail Senator Hannon at hannon@nysenate.gov.
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