National Missing Persons Day is a day that is officially recognized in order to bring and raise awareness about individuals that go missing each and every day and the families that suffer the consequences of this tragic event. It is a day that is intended to recognize and serve honor to those who are lost. It aims to help communities realize the need to take action in order to prevent people from going missing. It is essential to remember that every person that is missing, is someone’s loved one. Every missing person deserves and requires attention to their situation.
There is a strong emphasis in awareness, but there is also a vital importance that lies in the education, prevention and the tools that are accessible in order to locate the individuals that are absent. National Missing Persons Day is a day that foster collaboration amongst communities, law enforcement, and other organizations within the NMPD to help strengthen the collaboration to locate the missing.
The Beginning of National Missing Persons Day
March 3rd of each year has been recognized in the United States since 1983 as National Missing Persons Day. It was first recognized as an effort to remember the young girl Genie Ann Taylor. Her case was one of many that helped to show the need to create some kind of systemic aid and public comprehension for the assistance of family members of the missing.
This date has been recognized since 1983 and is recognized by the public, law enforcement, non profit organizations, and the public. It reminds us that our society is danger, and we need to be proactive in order to avoid missing persons cases, and to assist law enforcement in the timely reporting of cases the help to avoid potential missing persons cases.
Why We Recognize National Missing Persons Day
Due to National Missing Persons Day, the community is made aware of the emotional and financial burdens the missing and their families incur. It reminds us that unprotected families can incur emotional and financial suffering. In honor of National Missing Persons Day, communities are encouraged to do the following:
- Create Awareness: Help educate community members on the risks of a family member going missing and the need for prompt reporting.
- Assist Families: Help provide emotional and legal assistance to the families of missing persons.
- Encourage Vigilance: Encourage the community to be proactive in protecting the family and to limit the risks of children going missing.
- Support the Role of Law Enforcement: Help to stress the importance of police officers in helping to locate missing children and to keep families from going missing.
This day is dedicated to affirming the importance of human lives, not just as numerical entries into victim databases, but as individuals deeply missed by their families, and loved by their communities.
How to Observe National Missing Persons Day
There are numerous ways to observe National Missing Persons Day.
- Educating Yourself and Others: Understand the resources, reporting methods, and safety procedures. Make this information available to your community.
- Supporting Organizations: Advocacy groups and non-profits find and support families of the missing. Your time and/or financial support can have a lasting impact.
- Raising Awareness on Social Media: Awareness can be raised by informing others about missing persons and National Missing Persons Day.
- Participating in Local Events: Many communities host memorial walks, awareness activities, and vigils. Your attendance at these events further spreads awareness.
- Honoring Missing Persons: To support the lost, you can silently, light a candle, and make a memory board.
Statistics on Missing Persons
Every year tens of thousands of individuals go missing including in the United States where hundreds of thousands of new cases are reported to law enforcement each year. Many of these missing persons are children, elderly and disabled adults.
Key statisitcs illustrate the significance of the issue at hand:
- There is a notable percentage of children ages 18 and under who are recorded as missing persons.
- The most frequently reported missing persons are those who are runaway and/or who have been abducted.
- The reporting of a missing person and community involvement are two critical elements that can significantly heighten the chances of a missing person being found.
National Missing Persons Day is a significant event for raising awareness and educating the public to prevent the occurrence of missing persons.
Law Enforcement and the Use of Technology
The absence of a person’s loved one warrants the involvement of law enforcement. They have a lot to offer the community when it comes to the use of technology. For example:
- AMBER Alert: The immediate issuance of missing children’s alerts.
- Social Media Engagement: Using online platforms to distribute alerts and engage the public to raise awareness.
- DNA and Fingerprint Records: Used to assist in matching documentation that is provided by missing persons and/or by individuals who have not been identified.
- GPS and Mobile Tracking: Technology that is used to assist in the search for people who are missing.
The partnership of local law enforcement and the families is critical to National Missing Persons Day. The event is designed to allow for the facilitation of a response and to enhance the chances of retrieval outcomes.
Conclusion
The establishment of a National Day of Observance for Missing Persons serves as a reminder that commemoration must also include a call to action. Each year, Missing Persons Day challenges the public to use their passion, presence, and empathy to assist the chronic problem of locating the missing and providing the needed support to their families and friends. People who care can reduce the problem of missing persons, as well as help to assure that the missing persons will be located, by fostering and supporting safe community initiatives, advocating for victim services, and raising public awareness.
Each person who is unaccounted for contributes to the horrifying statistic. National Missing Persons Day challenges us all to do something in remembrance of the unaccounted for that have yet to return home. Learn About: National Women Physicians Day , International Golden Retriever Day And International Days Today– February 3
