Keeping our children safe must be a priority

Our View

By St. Tammany News
Published on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

If a child becomes missing, parents greatly increase their chance of quickly recovering the child if they immediately provide an FBI-certified biometric 10-digit fingerprint profile, a DNA sample, a high-resolution full color photograph and current statistical information.

On Saturday, Brian Harris Autoplex in Slidell hosted a DNA Lifeprint event, and biometric fingerprinting and a DNA identification kit were given to local families free of charge.

We hope it was an event that will prove unnecessary. Nonetheless, it is important for families to have this information on their children on file in the event a child does turn up missing, and we are glad a local company provided a place families and LifePrint officials could get together.

DNA LifePrint was created over 10 years ago when retired Miami Beach Police officer Joseph Matthews joined forces with John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted,” to create an organization whose sole purpose is to provide the most essential child safety services to children across the country. With national and local sponsors, the organization is able to bring the program into our communities free of charge. Keeping our children safe should be our utmost priority. But even when we do everything we can to keep them safe, sometimes that isn’t enough.

In that case, we must all be prepared.

If you missed Saturday’s event, you can visit the organization’s Web site at www.dna-lifeprint.com. Their contact information is listed. Call or e-mail for more information.

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Comments

No comments posted.

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The St. Tammany News is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in thesttammanynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the St. Tammany News. The St. Tammany News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized St. Tammany News spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.