FINGERPRINTING HELPS IN IDENTIFYING KIDS

Small children hid behind their parents' legs and older children watched with curiosity as Cape Girardeau Police Officer Kevin Orr fingerprinted children at K-Mart Saturday afternoon.

The parents of each child who was fingerprinted was given an envelope containing safety information, along with the fingerprints.

"The fingerprinting is basically for identification purposes," Orr said. "But the process gives us an opportunity to provide parents with information that they can with their children to convey important safety information."

The information said that in recent years there has been a substantial increase in non-custodial kidnapping, more reporting of child physical and sexual abuse and intense media coverage of missing and sexually abused children. In response to this problem, child fingerprinting has been greeted by both parents and police across the nation, he said.

"Some parents believe, however, that fingerprinting alone protects their children from crime; this is not true. The main purpose of fingerprints is to identify a body," according to the safety sheet.

The packet recommends that parents keep a folder on their children in a safe location within the home, such as a metal file cabinet or safe. It does not recommend keeping the file in a bank safe deposit box, because of limited access caused by normal banking hours. Parents should update their files annually, because current and correct information is vital to assure the fastest possible action by police.

If a child is missing, parents are urged to call the police immediately.

Also, parents are advised to take the folder with them if the family moves or if they are travelling on vacation.

The Cape Girardeau police will set up a fingerprinting center upon request, and process as many children as time allows, with no age limits.

The ink used in the fingerprinting is a non-toxic chemical which reacts with the receiving paper, and does not leave a residue on the child's hand.

"We'll fingerprint any child, any age at any time," Orr said.