Free Child Fingerprint Kits at Township Police HQ Saturday

Township police are distributing pamphlets with child safety tips and free fingerprinting kits today at their watch desk at the Municipal Hall on Chews Landing Road near Hider Lane from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's part of an ongoing effort to educate parents about the dangers of child abduction and exploitation.

"The Gloucester Township Police Department encourages parents to spend a few minutes teaching your child about safety as this could mean the difference between life and death," police said. "That is why National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Take 25 national public awareness campaign urges parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety."

The kits will be available at the department's community relation's bureau at the Municipal Hall after distribution today. Local police rolled out their Missing At Risk Response Strategy, MARRS, program in April as part of this ongoing effort.

Police teamed with Stetser-Lamartine American Legion Post 281 to provide the pamphlets and fingerprint kits.

Every year in America, an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing, more than 2,000 children each day, police said. Of that number, 200,000 are abducted by family members and 58,000 are abducted by non- family members, for which the primary motive is sexual.

Each year, 115 children are the victims of the most serious abductions; they are taken by non- family members and either murdered, ransomed or taken with the intent to keep. An analysis of attempted abduction cases by NCMEC found that in 84% of the cases, the child escaped would-be abductors through their own actions. Thirty- five percent actively resisted (yelling, kicking, pulling away, running away or attracting attention) while 49% recognized something was not right and responded by walking or running away.