Chicopee Police, local organizations provide child safety ID kits for parents - Western Massachusetts News

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CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - The Chicopee Police Department partnered with Core-Awakening and the Molly Bish Foundation to provide child identification kits to families in order to protect children from being abducted.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that roughly 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year.

The Chicopee Police Department’s partnership with Core-Awakening and the Molly Bish Foundation helps local parents protect their kids in the event of the unthinkable.

“Nobody wants this to happen, but the number one priority in our community is keeping our children safe,” said Sergeant Thomas Gazda of Chicopee Police Department.

Sgt. Gazda told Western Mass News that the fingerprint packet and photos of the child are crucial resources in the search and identification of lost or abducted children.

“They’re very effective when it comes to the photographs that are in these things, the information packets, any medical concerns that we have to be aware of for the child,” he explained. “As far as photographs, also being able to see them, glasses on, glasses off, hair color, type of hair… goes a long way with helping officers out in the street assist and locate them.”

The event comes days after Springfield Police arrested Eulogio Rodriguez, who tried to lure a young girl into his car, according to police. He was arrested Thursday and arraigned the following day, charged with the enticing of a child and indecent assault and battery.

Mental health counselor Marguerite Haugh said that the parents who came in to pick up the child ID kits were grateful to be provided with a resource that could prove to be potentially life-saving.

“You don’t ever want to have to use the kit, but they were greatly appreciative,” Haugh told us. “It kind of brings a sense of, I don’t know, calm or assurance that, if something ever does happen, they have the ability to look for their child.”

“They’re happy that we’re still looking out for their children,” Sgt. Gazda added. “They know that to us, the children are the number one priority in the community. It seems to me they’re very happy in getting assistance with putting something together to keep them safe.”

Copyright 2022. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

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