Gloucester Township Police, Pine Hill Police First In U.S. To Join Missing Kids Readiness Project

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pine Hill and Gloucester Township Police Departments have become the first two police departments in the country to become participating members of the Missing Kids Readiness Project.

Pine Hill Chief of Police Christopher Winters and Gloucester Township Police Chief  Harry Earle accepted the Missing Kids Readiness project certifications on behalf of their police departments on Tuesday at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Missing Kids Readiness Project promotes best practices for responding to calls of missing, abducted, and sexually exploited children.

Chief Winters and Chief Earle received their department's certificate before the 150th NCMEC Missing Children Seminar for Chief Executive Officers. The award was presented by Kristen Anderson, NCMEC Executive Director of Training.

NCMEC Board Chair Patty Wetterling, whose son Jacob was abducted at gunpoint in 1989 and not yet found, and IACP Executive Director Bart Johnson, were also present to congratulate the Gloucester Township and Pine Hill Police Departments.

Each member of both police departments has completed essential training required by NCMEC in responding to a missing child or sexual abuse incident. Additionally, both police department's policies on handling a missing person incident, which include the initial response by officers, investigation, search, reunification, and follow-up social services, have been reviewed and approved by the NCMEC.

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