July 29, 2003

Contact:
Fred Acunto
Charlton Town Supervisor
384-0153, Ext. 207
399-8493

Charlton Town Supervisor Fred Acunto has announced that Charlton is joining forces with thousands of communities nation wide by participating in the "20th Annual National Night Out" and to take part in its "National Child ID Program" . The program is a campaign that hopes to fingerprint two million children nation wide beginning on August 5, 2003.

Acunto became aware of this program several months ago and presented the idea to the town board requesting that Charlton become a partner in this campaign.

The Town of Charlton is providing free ID kits to parents who wish to avail themselves of this endeavor, and can pick up ID kits at the Charlton Town Hall on Main Street, beginning August 4th.

Each kit includes:

• An inkless fingerprinting foil poach containing fingerprint solution - (no messy ink)
• A fingerprint card with step by step instructions: record of physical descriptions: medical summary information: and attachment area for a current photograph.
• A DNA kit
• A wallet-sized laminated card

Acunto said he found it startling to find that according to a U.S.Dept. of Justice study, about 58,200 children are abducted each year by non-family members, with about 42 % of those incidents being perpetrated by strangers. He went on say "That in light of these statistics I feel that it is my obligation as the Supervisor of Charlton to bring this fingerprinting campaign to the community, and with the sincere hope that these ID kits will never have to be used."

Three hundred ID kits are available, and the supply will be replenished as needed.