The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Today�s site was one I had been thinking about for awhile (yes, I do occasionally plan ahead). But with events that have taken place in Floriday and Texas over the past week has spurred me to make it the Family First Site today. It is one that everyone should be aware of, as the information here is very important, and while you may not need it now, you may someday. You never know when a child in your own neighborhood may come up missing.

It is a sad reflection on our society that situations like this occur many, many times a day, all over our country. Whether it is a disgruntled parent involved in an ugly custody battle, or some drugged out whacko looking for kicks, or the true sexual deviant that is mentally sick, the bottom line is this: a child is missing, and their life has changed forever. Fortunately, there is an organization that helps to locate and recover missing children, and raises public awareness about ways to prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation. This organization is The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Created in 1984, NCMEC operates under a congressional mandate, and works in conjunction with the Department of Justice�s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (http://www.ncjrs.org/ojjhome.htm).
In the years since their creation, they have trained over 138,000 police officers and other officials, and fielded over 1,000,000 calls through their hotline 1-800-THE-LOST. They act as a clearing house for tip and leads that are passed on to the appropriate agency, as well as working closely with other government agencies such the FBI, US Customs, and the US Postal Service. This site explains the scope and details of the center better than I ever could here.
Whether a police officer needs assistance, a citizen wants information on child safety, or parents are seeking help in finding a missing or lost child, call this agency. All it takes is one call to put this high tech service to work. It is a true example of our tax dollars being spent wisely.
http://www.missingkids.com/