There were 465,676 missing children in 2016. This number doesn’t include the 1000s of adults that are missing. As the number increase, the job of locating missing persons becomes increasingly more difficult. Law enforcement cannot do it alone. They need the help of the community to bring these people home. Busters Journal exists to help connect communities to the solutions. We need to make our neighborhoods safer. We all need to be a part of the solution. We can’t afford to wait until this problem hits close to home to get involved. Our involvement in bringing these individuals home will help insure our children have a safer world to live in. Let criminals know we’re not going to take it anymore.

How can you help? Start by not letting this common crime desensitize you because it happens so often. Pay attention to the missing person fliers, announcements and Amber Alerts that we encounter every day. Report suspicions, questionable and inappropriate actions towards children and adults to the proper authorities. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provides safety and prevention resources. Educate yourself. Be a part of your neighborhood block watch, if your community doesn’t have one then start one. It is the perpetrators who should feel unsafe walking the streets. There is strength in numbers. Help educate your friends and family. Below is a list of links where more information is available to assist you in knowing how you can make a difference.

What to do if your child is missing.

http://www.missingkids.com/gethelpnow/missingchild

More information on missing persons in Ohio

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Forms

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

http://www.missingkids.com/home

Ohio missing child alerts

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/XmlServlet?act=rss&LanguageCountry=en_US&orgPrefix=NCMC&state=OH