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***image1***An identification kit so advanced that it can print the tightly woven loops on children’s fingers is now available in the KMC.
The state-of-the-art Law Enforcement Officer’s Identification Kit debuted in the KMC Oct. 26 at the Safe Neighborhood Awareness Program’s kick-off event at Ramstein’s Donnelly Park and Oct. 28 at the Crime Prevention Celebration at Landstuhl’s School Age Services.
“The scanner is a cross-match fingerprint scanner,” said Senior Airman Waylon A. Klutts, a 435th Security Forces Group’s crime prevention specialist. “It uses biometrics, which can pick up little children’s fingerprints.”
Airman Klutts and his co-workers fingerprinted, shot photos and inputted information that would be pertinent to investigators. They also took height and weight measurements.
The 435th Security Forces Group currently is the only KMC organization to have the new Law Enforcement Officer’s Identification Kit.
About 25 children received child identification cards at Ramstein’s SNAP event and about 50 children received theirs at the Landstuhl event.
While their children got new “ID cards,” parents were given a sheet with the same vital information that they would keep on hand to give to investigators.
***image2***“We suggest that parents comb their children’s hair into a Ziploc bag and then staple the bag to their sheets,” said Airman Klutts, who was the one who put together KMC’s only Law Enforcement Officer’s Identi-fication Kit. “That way, they have fingerprints, a current photo, all the pertinent information and a DNA sample that investigators will need.”
Information needed for the child identifica-tion kits are: full names, including middle initial and any nicknames; date and place of birth; social security numbers; birth marks; and health concerns.
Ramstein now joins the SNAP ranks of Fliegerstrasse and Blutacker, Sembach, Landstuhl and Vogelweh.
This means that all KMC communities have enrolled in the SNAP program.
Similar to the Neighborhood Watch Program in the United States, SNAP encourages neighbors to meet, work with and watch out for each other.
Relying on volunteers, SNAP consists of community observers who deter and reduce crime and terrorist activity by patrolling the streets in their neighborhood.
The 415th Base Support Battalion is responsible for the SNAP program in the KMC.
“SNAP volunteers are basically the eyes and ears for their communities,” said Dava Oliver, the 415th BSB Provost Marshal Office’s SNAP coordinator. “They assist law enforcement with looking out for suspicious activity and criminal activity in the community.”
Both events were successful in encouraging 15 people to sign up as SNAP volunteers at each site.
Landstuhl’s event recognized their successful SNAP program, which kicked off last year, and October as Crime Prevention Month.
As the nation’s focal point for preventing crime, the National Crime Prevention Council designated October as Crime Prevention Month in 1984.
The month-long celebration recognizes successful crime prevention efforts to generate interest and enthusiasm for prevention efforts to continue to grow even stronger and become more widespread.
***image3***Alongside the child identification kits, both events showcased other activities that were intended for the whole family and as a fun way to teach volunteers information they may need as community observers.
Activities ranged from the 415th BSB’s Kiddie Train, informational booths from the American Red Cross and the 415th BSB’s Safety Office and of course, appearances from McGruff® “The Crime Dog.”
Parents who were not able to attend these two events can get their child identification kits at future law enforcement events.
They can also visit the 435th Security Forces Group’s crime prevention office in Room 104, Bldg. 2102 on Ramstein or call Airman Klutts at 480-5589 or 4384 for an appointment.
