Florida Missing Children's Day

2024-2025 Florida Missing Children's Day Award Nominations

 
The 2024-2025 Florida Missing Children’s Day Annual Ceremony will be held on Monday, September 8, at 10 AM at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
 
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) is accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD) Awards.  FMCD recognizes citizens, law enforcement officers, and K9 trailing teams for their exemplary efforts when investigating missing persons or preventing child abductions and remembers Florida's missing children in a remembrance ceremony for their missing loved ones.
 
Please take a moment to consider individuals, who have gone above and beyond, for these prestigious awards. See links to the nomination forms below:
 
Generic All Categories Nominations Combatting Human Trafficking Award Nomination
Citizens of the Year Nominations Law Enforcement Task Force/Team of the Year Nomination
Jimmy Ryce K9 Trailing Team of the Year nomination Sworn Award Nominations

Nomination Deadline is Friday May 16, 2025

To submit FMCD nomination, email the completed form as an attachment to FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us. You may also fax the forms to (850) 410-8744 or mail the hard copies to:

Attention: Florida Missing Children's Day Coordinator

FDLE/MEPIC

P. O. Box 1489

Tallahassee, FL 32308-1489
 
The FMCD winners will be selected by the FDLE Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse Advisory Board. The awards will be presented at the ceremony on Monday, September 8, 2025, at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. For further information, contact FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us.
 
FDLE congratulates the 2024 FMCD Award Winners. See the winners by viewing the FMCD Press Release or by visiting the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation at www.fmcdf.org. View prior FMCD videos at FDLE Florida Missing Children's Day Collection or Florida Missing Children's Day Foundation.
Florida Statute 683.23, Florida Missing Children’s Day

Florida Missing Children's DayA Time of Remembrance, Recognition, and Hope. 
As proclaimed by Resolution of the Florida Legislature, the "first ever" Florida Missing Children's Day was Monday, September 13, 1999. Each year impacted families, law enforcement officers and citizens convene to remember Florida's children who are still missing and those who will never come home again. The objective of this day is to raise awareness of Florida's currently missing children, to educate the public on child safety and abduction prevention, and to recognize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the missing children issue.

There are two main components associated with Florida Missing Children’s Day: 1) a formal ceremony held on the second Monday in September per Florida Legislature in remembrance of Florida's past and present missing children and in recognition of those citizens and law enforcement officers who have gone above and beyond in missing children investigations; and 2) a safety fair where children can interact with community partners and law enforcement. Additionally, FDLE participates in safety fairs around the state where the public may ask questions regarding child safety.