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SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank was at Washington Elementary Monday morning to announce a partnership with the school district to hand out 20,00 child ID kits over the next five weeks. The goal is very child will get a kit and have it filled out at home.
Chief Burbank said in the moments following a child abduction, or when a child is reported missing, it's crucial to have correct information and have it fast. He said, "Often times, what we find is we don't have enough information right off the bat."
That's why these kits are important because they have the height, weight and a current picture of a missing child, which are critical to finding that child.
"We are here not to be paranoid about society. Our idea is to mitigate or minimize our exposure to risk," Burbank said.
"This project is about how to advocate for our children, how to advocate for our parents, and be able to provide some good information in case a child goes missing," said Salt Lake School District Superintendent McKell Withers.
Withers hopes to see a day when schools across the entire state are able to provide these kits.
"What this project enables us to do is protect our greatest asset we have: that's our children," Withers said.
For the Salt Lake project, Lifetouch photography is providing an extra school picture for each child's kit. PTA President Katrina Stucki hopes that makes it easier for parents to fill out the forms on the kit.
"I have many conversations with my kids about this. I tell them my No. 1 job is to keep them safe," Stucki said.
Each child will get a kit at their school this month; DNA, dental records and fingerprints are also a part of it.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 2,100 children go missing each year. Law enforcement is better able to respond if parents can provide current information about their child, including the following details and items:
- Hair color
- Eye color
- Height
- Weight
- Date of birth
- Unique physical attributes such as eyeglasses, braces or piercings
- Fingerprints
- Full-color photo of child facing the camera (update every six months until 18)
- Dental records (update every 2 years until 18)
- DNA hair sample (roots intact)
To find out how to get a Child ID kit, call Sgt. Fred Ross at 801-799-3366.
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Story compiled with contributions from Mary Richards and Amanda Butterfield.
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