Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Launches Child Fingerprinting Program

On November 8, 1983, the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Department announced a new initiative aimed at enhancing child safety through a voluntary fingerprinting and photo program for children. This effort, designed to assist parents in documenting identification records, aims to aid authorities in locating missing children more effectively.

The initiative stems from the Missing Children Act of 1982, which underscored the importance of community involvement in preventing child disappearances. As part of this national movement, law enforcement agencies and various community organizations have established fingerprinting programs across multiple cities, including East Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck, and Minot in North Dakota.

According to Lt. Robert Rost of the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Department, the response to this program has been overwhelmingly positive. It is entirely voluntary, allowing parents to opt in for their children enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grade. Consent forms will be distributed at local schools, enabling parents to decide if they wish to participate.

Once consent is obtained, deputies will visit schools equipped with fingerprinting tools and cameras. Children whose parents have signed the forms will be fingerprinted and photographed. These records will be compiled on a standard identification card that remains the property of the parents, ensuring that the sheriff’s department retains no personal data or fingerprints.

There is no cost to parents for this service. In the unfortunate event that a child goes missing, parents can present the identification card to local law enforcement. The fingerprints will then be entered into the national crime and missing persons computer system, facilitating quicker identification should the child be found.

The program is expected to commence by December 1 in Grand Forks County schools, with an estimated seven to eight schools slated to participate. The initiative will be discussed at the upcoming Grand Forks School Board meeting, where the board will determine if the program should extend to include city students after county operations conclude.

An initial kickoff event will take place at Columbia Mall from November 17 to 19, operating daily from 10:00 to 21:00. During this period, any children whose parents wish to participate, including those from surrounding areas, will have the opportunity to be fingerprinted and photographed.

Lt. Rost emphasized the program’s purpose, stating, “It’s not a public relations gimmick. It’s a public service. We don’t want to wait until something happens.” He noted that while this initiative is crucial, it should not replace other safety measures parents may employ.

Despite not currently facing significant issues with missing children, Rost reported that most cases typically involve runaways who are located within days. He estimates that the initiative will continue throughout the school year, potentially allowing kindergarteners to be processed annually.

The sheriff’s department has received support from KKXL radio and Dayton’s, who have contributed by purchasing a large camera for program use. Additional expenses for materials are estimated at around $100. Apart from the initial event, fingerprinting will be conducted by deputies during regular working hours, with community members potentially assisting should the program expand further.

This proactive measure from the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Department reflects a growing commitment to child safety and community involvement in protecting vulnerable populations.