(September 19, 2006)—Gov. Rick Perry announced a $1.8 million statewide identification program Tuesday that’s designed to help find children who turn up missing.

Perry detailed the plan Tuesday in appearances in Waco and Fort Worth.

About two million Child Identification kits will be made available to parents of students in kindergarten through the sixth grade throughout the state.

The effort is funded by a $1.8 million state grant to the Sheriff’s Association of Texas along with private donations.

The kits are designed to help parents record and store the fingerprints of their children, along with DNA information and physical characteristics.

The effort includes the National Child Identification Program, the Waco-based American Football Coaches Association and the Texas Association of School Administrators.

Each kit will have an inkless fingerprint card, two swabs to get a child's DNA from saliva
and a laminated wallet card for a photo and physical description of the youngsters.

“When a child goes missing, every second counts,” Perry said.

“The odds of safely recovering a missing child are best in the first few hours. With the Child ID program, parents can give law enforcement an invaluable head start in locating their precious loved ones.”

“I encourage every parent to take advantage of this important program,” Perry said. “The process is simple, lasts five minutes, and could directly lead to the safe recovery of a missing child.”

Click Here For Texas Governor’s Web Site

More News >>Sports >> Weather >>