For Immediate Release

May 24, 2013

 
TALLAHASSEE – Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey, along with the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, law enforcement officials, emergency management officials, broadcasters and transportation officials throughout the nation, will recognize National Missing Children’s Day on Saturday, May 25, 2013. Since 1983, the nation has observed National Missing Children’s Day to mark the anniversary of the disappearance of Etan Patz from a New York City street on his way to school in 1979.
 
“I applaud the Florida law enforcement officers who work tirelessly to find missing children as we celebrate with those families in Ohio, whose loved ones have been returned. FDLE is committed to working with our state and national partners to return missing children to their families,” said Commissioner Bailey.
 
In 2012, Florida law enforcement agencies received 48,330 reports of missing persons.  FDLE’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse provided direct assistance in the recovery of 94 missing persons last year. 
 
FDLE will hold the Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony on September 9, 2013, at the Capitol. The event recognizes the extraordinary efforts made by Florida’s law enforcement officers and private citizens on behalf of missing children.
 
Sign up to receive free Amber Alerts and Missing Child Alerts by email or text message at www.missingchildrenalert.com and visit https://www.missingkids.org/home for safety tips. The national “Take 25” campaign encourages parents to spend 25 minutes talking with their children about ways to stay safe from abduction and online exploitation.
 
For further information contact:
Gretl Plessinger, Linda McDonald or Steve Arthur
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001