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The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently released a free smartphone app that allows parents to notify local police agencies of missing children in the area.
The FBI Child ID app is now available for use in the KMC. Parents and guardians may use this app to upload recent photos and information on their children and instantly share it with local law enforcement agencies, should the child go missing.
“With the FBI Child ID app, guardians can deliver exact information about their child to the 86th Security Forces Squadron with the push of a button,” said Senior Airman William Reece, 86th SFS police services assistant. “Once the guardian sends the notification, all pertinent information about the child is delivered instantaneously to the law enforcement desk. We ask that the guardian call the (law enforcement desk), which eliminates inadvertent missing child alerts, and search procedures will be initiated.”
Once downloaded, parents and guardians must open the app and enter pertinent information on their child. One must also be sure to enter KMCMissingChild@us.af.mil as the preferred law enforcement office email block. This ensures the information is sent to the local police department.
“I think it’s a great app for military families to have, especially with all the traveling most people in the KMC take part in,” said AD Torres, wife of Tech. Sgt. JD Torres, 693rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group geospatial intelligence program manager. “Being stationed in a different country where we might not know the language very well can be daunting at times, especially in a time of crisis that involves our children. This app can help us communicate better with authorities, regardless of language barriers. It’s a must-have for all in the KMC.”
The app allows you to upload multiple photos that will help identify a missing child, such as front and side views and photos of any scars or identifying marks.
“There’s even a block where guardians can fill in additional information,” Reece said. “For example, if the child has a medical condition, violent tendencies or anything that law enforcement should be aware of, that information should be added to the comment block.”
The FBI does not store any of the data uploaded, unless it is sent in for a missing-child report.
In addition to the reporting option, there are also several helpful tips and resources parents can use during an emergency. This includes important steps to take within the first 24 to 48 hours of the child’s disappearance.
“Now that I know this app is available, I’ll definitely be taking advantage of this resource,” Torres said. “There’s nothing a parent wouldn’t do to ensure their child’s safety, so taking a few minutes to download the app and filling it out will later serve as a big benefit if the need for it ever came up.”
While the KMC law enforcement officers work diligently to protect personnel and their families, this app is an additional resource residents can utilize in the unfortunate circumstance of a missing child.
For more information, contact the 86th SFS at 480-1215 or 06371-47-1215.
