Governor Proclaims Missing Children's Day 2021

WHEREAS, last year, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons recorded 14,321 cases of missing persons; 9,136 were for missing children, of which 96 percent were safely returned to their families; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons works closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and sponsors training for law enforcement officers, first responders, home care providers, and assisted living facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Center maintains an extensive computer database and serves as a statewide resource center for information on missing children and adults, gives assistance to sheriffs’ offices and police departments, serves as liaison between states and various governmental agencies when child abductions cross state lines, and manages the North Carolina AMBER Alert, Silver Alert and Blue Alert systems; and

WHEREAS, the AMBER Alert system is activated when a child is believed to be abducted by a stranger or in danger of injury or death, and has been credited with the successful rescue of 1,029 children to date; the Silver Alert system is activated when a person is missing and believed to be suffering from dementia or a cognitive impairment; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons activated the AMBER Alert system four times and the Silver Alert system 29 times for juveniles in 2020; and

WHEREAS, families can take steps to prevent child abductions by knowing where their children play and who their friends are and by talking with them about their safety at home, at school, and on the internet; if a child is missing, their family must immediately file a missing person report with local law enforcement, remembering time is always a critical factor; and

WHEREAS, each year the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons joins the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in observing the National Missing Children’s poster contest and National Missing Children’s Day; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina commends the many organizations, agencies, and individuals working throughout our state to prevent child abductions, recover missing children, and to heal victims’ trauma;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 25, 2021, as “MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.