Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2003, $496,665)
The "A Child is Missing" Program is designed to support the early search and recovery efforts made by local law enforcement during the initial hours after the disappearance of a child or an elderly person (Alzheimer's patients), and the disable. The "A Child is Missing" Program utilizes high-tech telephony (a bank of 91 T-1 communication lines) to place 1000 telephone calls, in 5 minutes, into the neighborhood where the disappearance occurs. The message given to the residents of the neighborhood, via the "A Child is Missing" Program, advises the residents of the disappearance and asks the community to call the police with any information they may have about the missing person.
The "A Child is Missing" Program is in operation and has a proven methodology for implementation. The intent of this project is to leverage the practices used in Florida, Rhode Island and Alaska and populate the concept into the target states.
A brief description of the installation practice is as follows: After unified law enforcement interest is received ACIM hold a launch/training session hosted by a local law enforcement agency. Area law enforcement agencies are made aware of the availability of the program and are invited to the training. The local media is also contacted in an effort to encourage public support and awareness and to promote the program. The training session familiarize law enforcement on how to activate the program should the need arise. Officers are provided with officer's package, and an agency training package. Once an officer receives the training, and the letter of participation from the agency is received the services are available.
The new staffing funded by this project will be trained in the process described above and assigned a territory to oversee. As an example, the following states (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) will be one of the territories assigned to one of the new field training coordinators. The field trainer will be supported by central office staff in Florida.
NCA/NCF