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Members of National Police Union Lend a Hand to Protect Washington, D.C. Children: Visiting Officers
Washington, D.C. -- Police officers who will visit Washington, D.C., next week to meet with lawmakers about anti-terrorism legislation and other critical issues will take time out to help protect hundreds of local schoolchildren by providing cards at no cost that include their fingerprints and photographs.
The project will take place at Amidon School, 401 "I" Street S.W., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 30. Police officers and Amidon Principal John Goudeaux will be available during the school day to talk with reporters about this invaluable safety tool.
In previous years, a for-profit company has created fingerprint cards at Amidon for a cost of $6 per student. Realizing that some families can't afford the fee, sworn police officers represented by the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers/Communications Workers of America have volunteered to provide the service and all materials at no charge.
"It's totally free to the parents and there's no record whatsoever, except for the card that we give to the family. That's the only copy. Nothing is kept in a database," said NCPSO President Rich Anemone, a Tucson, Ariz., police officer.
Amidon School has just over 400 students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school's relationship with the Communications Workers began during the 2003 holidays, when the school choir performed at the CWA's headquarters building in northwest Washington.
Principal John Goudeaux said the free program means every Amidon family can have the added security of a fingerprint card for their children. "It's very fortunate for us that they're doing this," he said. "It will meet the needs of all of parents who would like to participate. No one has to worry about the cost."
Anemone's union local in Tucson has offered the free program there for five years. Officers annually set up shop in two area malls, providing fingerprint cards for 3,000 to 4,000 children and teenagers over a single weekend.
"Our fervent hope is that no family will ever need to make use of this card," Anemone said. "But if the worst happens, if a child is missing, being able to provide police with fingerprints immediately could literally save their life."
The NCPSO officers, who come from Arizona, California, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, are among CWA members headed to Washington for the union's annual Legislative-Political Conference, March 28-31. Participants will spend much of each weekday on Capitol Hill talking with members of Congress and their staffs about issues important to working families.
A key issue the police will address is the critical need for federal help with anti-terrorism training and equipment for state and local police officers, the first responders in the event of a terrorist incident in their communities.
-30-
Reporters and camera crews are asked to sign in at the school's security desk, then report to the front office. From there you will be directed to the area set up for the fingerprinting project.
The project will take place at Amidon School, 401 "I" Street S.W., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 30. Police officers and Amidon Principal John Goudeaux will be available during the school day to talk with reporters about this invaluable safety tool.
In previous years, a for-profit company has created fingerprint cards at Amidon for a cost of $6 per student. Realizing that some families can't afford the fee, sworn police officers represented by the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers/Communications Workers of America have volunteered to provide the service and all materials at no charge.
"It's totally free to the parents and there's no record whatsoever, except for the card that we give to the family. That's the only copy. Nothing is kept in a database," said NCPSO President Rich Anemone, a Tucson, Ariz., police officer.
Amidon School has just over 400 students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school's relationship with the Communications Workers began during the 2003 holidays, when the school choir performed at the CWA's headquarters building in northwest Washington.
Principal John Goudeaux said the free program means every Amidon family can have the added security of a fingerprint card for their children. "It's very fortunate for us that they're doing this," he said. "It will meet the needs of all of parents who would like to participate. No one has to worry about the cost."
Anemone's union local in Tucson has offered the free program there for five years. Officers annually set up shop in two area malls, providing fingerprint cards for 3,000 to 4,000 children and teenagers over a single weekend.
"Our fervent hope is that no family will ever need to make use of this card," Anemone said. "But if the worst happens, if a child is missing, being able to provide police with fingerprints immediately could literally save their life."
The NCPSO officers, who come from Arizona, California, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, are among CWA members headed to Washington for the union's annual Legislative-Political Conference, March 28-31. Participants will spend much of each weekday on Capitol Hill talking with members of Congress and their staffs about issues important to working families.
A key issue the police will address is the critical need for federal help with anti-terrorism training and equipment for state and local police officers, the first responders in the event of a terrorist incident in their communities.
-30-
Reporters and camera crews are asked to sign in at the school's security desk, then report to the front office. From there you will be directed to the area set up for the fingerprinting project.