When a 13-year-old North Carolina girl went missing last fall, the FBI and state and local partners worked quickly to locate her more than 900 miles from home her in Oklahoma.
The man who lured the girl away was arrested and is facing state charges. The girl was returned to her family.
(The FBI and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office found 13-year-old Aubrey Joelle Acree safe and alive in Checotah, Oklahoma just before 11:00 p.m., on November 28, 2018. Troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and special agents and task force officers with FBI Oklahoma City Field Office found Aubrey and arrested 23-year-old Jacob Gardea of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gardea is facing charges from the state of North Carolina for Abduction of a Child. Courtesy of CBS 17 and YouTube. Posted on Nov 29, 2018.)
Sadly, though, not every missing child is found.
Many of the children on the FBI’s Kidnappings & Missing Persons web page have been missing for months or even years.
In recognition of National Missing Children’s Day, which is held every year on May 25th each year, please take the time to view the faces of the missing children seen here and contact law enforcement if you have any information that might bring them home to their families.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Program (VCAC), works with federal, state, local, tribal, and international partners to help identify and locate child victims.
(FBI Special Agent Danielle Messineo, who works in the Crimes Against Children division, tries to prevent future victims by giving presentations to schoolchildren. Courtesy of the USA Network and YouTube.)
The FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Teams provide support to law enforcement in the critical hours immediately after a child is abducted, especially by a non-family member.
The FBI also works with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and contributes to international task forces that investigate crimes against children.
National Missing Children’s Day is also a reminder of the importance of being prepared should the unthinkable ever happen to your child, and one thing parents can do is to download or update their children’s information in the FBI’s Child ID app.
(Denver Police Missing Persons Detective Ted Binet walks us through the FBI Child ID app – a useful tool to keep your child’s vital information and a recent photo secure and easily available on your mobile device. Courtesy of Denver Police and YouTube. Posted on Feb 28, 2019.)
The app, available free for both iPhones and Androids, allows parents to keep updated photos and physical descriptions of their children available on their smartphones.
If your child goes missing, you can quickly send the information to authorities.
The FBI does not collect or store the information or photos you enter into the app.
The data resides on YOUR mobile device unless you choose to send it to authorities in an emergency.
Note: The children pictured here may have been located since this information was posted.
Please check the Kidnappings & Missing Persons webpage for up-to-date information on them and on additional missing children and other persons.
Runaway Train 25
When the song Runaway Train was released 25 years ago, the music video showed images of real missing children.
As a result of the video’s reach on national television, 21 of the missing children were found.
To mark the song’s anniversary this year, the FBI’s partners at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) have revamped the song and made a new video for the Internet era.
(To see missing kids from your area go to RunawayTrain25.com and help bring them home. 25 years ago, Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” music video featured images of missing children, and helped recover 21 of them. How many can we find with today’s technology and social media? For the 25th anniversary of Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train”, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Jamie N Commons, Skylar Grey, and Gallant created a new version of the music video. Courtesy of Jamie N Commons and YouTube. Posted on May 22, 2019.)
Users who watch the video online will see images of missing children in their local area.
According to NCMEC, 61 percent of children reported missing are found in the state where they went missing, meaning the local approach is crucial.
To watch the video and view images of missing children in your location, visit runawaytrain25.com.
FBI Honored in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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‘Excellence in Homeland Security’
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Violent Crimes against Children (VCAC) program
Additionally recognized in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Program, Thomas O’Connor, FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) President.
Thomas O’Connor
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‘Excellence in Homeland Security’
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President of the FBI Agents Association
(Hear from FBI Agents Association President Tom O’Connor directly, as discusses how the partial government shutdown was affecting the operations of the FBI. Courtesy of Fox Business News and YouTube. Posted on Jan 24, 2019.)
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program drew an overwhelming response from industry leaders with a record high number of corporate and government nominations received, as well as record breaking ‘ASTORS’ Presentation Luncheon Attendees, with top firms trying to register for the exclusive high – end luncheon and networking opportunity – right up to the event kickoff on Wednesday afternoon, at the ISC East registration!
Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Department of Justice
- The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Viasat, Hanwha Techwin, Lenel, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Verint, Canon U.S.A., BriefCam, Pivot3, Milestone Systems, Allied Universal, Ameristar Perimeter Security and More!
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, Desktop Alert, and Royal Holdings Technologies.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.
Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
| Facial/IRIS Recognition | Body Worn Video Product | Cyber Security |
| Video Surveillance/VMS | Mobile Technology | Anti-Malware |
| Audio Analytics | Disaster Preparedness | ID Management |
| Thermal/Infrared Camera | Mass Notification System | Fire & Safety |
| Metal/Weapon Detection | Rescue Operations | Critical Infrastructure |
| License Plate Recognition | Detection Products | And Many Others! |
Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
2018 Champions Edition
See the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Champions Edition – ‘Best Products of 2018 ‘ Year in Review’ for in-depth coverage of the outstanding products and services of firms receiving American Security Today’s 2018‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards.’
Enter Early to Maximize Media Coverage of your Products and Services at Kickoff, and Get the Recognition Your Organization Deserves!
Be sure to Register Early for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East 2019 to ensure your place at this limited- space event!
Why the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program?
American Security Today’s comprehensive Annual Homeland Security Awards Program is organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to ‘Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.’
Why American Security Today?
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 70,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.
The old traditional security marketplace has been covered by a host of security publications that have changed little over many years.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that provides our readers with solutions to their challenges.
Our Editorial staff provides a full plate of topics for our AST monthly digital editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts.
The editorial calendar and AST’s high drawing website features 23 different Technology and Marketing Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities and Emergency Response among others.
These sectors are part of the new integration, where these major applications communicate with one another in a variety of solutions to protect our cities and critical infrastructure.
AST has Expanded readership into vital Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other Potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – enticing targets for extremist or lone wolf attacks due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
Learn More…
OJJDP New Int’l Child Kidnapping Guide for Law Enforce & Resources
