The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stated in 1996 that 955,252 missing persons were entered into the FBI's NCIC Computer. The intent of the Niagara County Sheriff's Department Special Forces Unit is to try to clean up and preserve the scenes of missing or abducted children. Each time a child disappears, people come together - families, friends, neighbors and even total strangers want to help. When people descend on a crime scene, no matter how good their intentions are, they contaminate the scene, create unnecessary confusion, destroy precious evidence and reduce the chances of a successful search. The Sheriff's Departments goal is to show people what they can do to really help to preserve the evidence at a crime scene.
People can be a very valuable resource if they know what to do and when and where to do it.
This program will show these people what to look for, what to do and what NOT to do so they become an ally and a working task force that assists law enforcement when time is so crucial. It can mean life and death in many cases. The Sheriff's Department will soon be circulating posters giving the do's and don'ts that apply to ALL crime scenes. What you, the family and the neighbors do in preserving the scene before the police arrive can make a big difference. These posters should be posted in a conspicuous place so they will be a fresh reminder if the information is needed.