Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long launches new statewide child ID program in Delaware

DOVER, Del. – Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long has announced a new statewide initiative aimed at better identifying and locating missing children in Delaware.

Lt. Governor Hall-Long was joined by NFL Hall of Famer Randy White, former Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowler Jeremiah Trotter, and state education and law enforcement leaders at the Garfield Park Police Athletic League on Wednesday to announce the new initiative.

The new partnership between the State of Delaware and the National Child Identification Program will provide 156,000 at-home child ID kits to Delaware families beginning this year.

The ID kits feature an inkless fingerprint solution, DNA storage, a place for medical/dental records, and a section to provide details about a child’s physical description.

“One of the tools in the toolkit, that Delaware families are going to have made available, is an in-home fingerprint and a little swab that goes in the mouth, that they keep at home, voluntarily at home, for their child’s safety,” Lt. Governor Hall-Long explained. “God forbid, the unthinkable happens, so the parents would have in a safe place key information, a photo, fingerprints, that they could hand to law enforcement should their child go missing.”

The new program is completely voluntary, parents aren’t required to obtain a kit but are strongly encouraged as this system is currently being used in several states to give law enforcement critical information about missing children.

“When a child goes missing, every second counts,” said Lt. Governor Hall-Long. “These ID kits provide law enforcement with a new tool to locate missing children more quickly and provide Delaware families with the ability to be better prepared for the unimaginable. This partnership will help reunite families and save lives.”

In addition to the kits, the new initiative will also feature public service announcements from sports legends and educational materials for students. This push for safety comes after dozens of children went missing just last year in Delaware.

“In Delaware, last year, we had 58 children who went missing,” the Lt. Governor stressed. “Some runaways, some were in trafficking, so it is really important as parents that we have every tool.”

On average, over 1,000 children are reported missing each day in the United States. In 2022, 58 children were reported missing in Delaware, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The kits in Delaware were made possible thanks to the generous support of the United Auto Workers union and the Exelon Corporation in partnership with the National Child Identification Program.

“I am humbled by the dedication that Lt. Governor Hall-Long and Delaware’s state leaders have in serving the families of Delaware,” explained Kenny Hansmire, Executive Director of the National Child Identification Program. “It is a blessing to launch the Delaware Child Identification Program with her today and I look forward to providing this great gift of safety to all K-12 students this fall.”

NFL Hall of Famer Randy White, a Delaware native and former defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, was in attendance for the press conference and praised the new initiative that’s aimed at keeping Delaware children safe.

“As a father and grandfather, few things are scarier than a missing child,” White said. “It is an honor to partner with Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long to protect the children in my home state of Delaware. Just as I was a defender on the field during my time with the Dallas Cowboys, Lt. Governor Hall-Long is a strong defender of Delaware’s children and families. This state is lucky to have her on their team.”

Also on-hand during the press conference was Delaware Department of Education Secretary Mark Holodick who praised the new initiative and commended the Lt. Governor for spearheading such a program to increase safety for Delaware’s youth.

“As a father and educator, I am grateful for this tool,” said Secretary Holodick. “When a child is missing, the speed at which we are able to respond is paramount. If families have these kits at home and prepared for an emergency, they will help law enforcement move as quickly as possible.”

The ID kits will be distributed to K-12 students through the Delaware Department of Education beginning May 24th, one day before the 40th annual National Missing Children’s Day. Parents will be notified about the kits before distribution begins.