OPP supports new program to help find lost or missing children

January 22, 2014 · 0 Comments

When a child goes missing, every second counts. A current photo is sometimes the most important tool to help quickly and safely locate a child. Too often, valuable time is lost when parents are gathering information and photos of their child to provide to police.

A new free app called Find Me ID, allows parents to quickly disseminate their child’s pertinent information in the event of an emergency to their local law enforcement agency or other emergency contacts.

The app was developed by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. It will allow parents to store current photographs and information about their child, and will automatically prompt parents to update that information from data that is readily available on their smartphone.

The information from Find Me ID can be transferred quickly through electronic means such as cell phones or computers, to those who need it most when a child goes missing or is lost.

The OPP is supporting this important initiative to enhance safety and help reduce the time it takes to get information about missing children to police.

“As a public safety organization, we know that acting quickly when a child is missing is of paramount importance to the successful recovery of the child. The OPP is fully supportive of the use of this social media tool that will assist law enforcement agencies and first responders to locate and return children in a timely manner,” said Superintendent Bernie Murphy, Director of OPP Behavioural, Forensic and Electronic Services.