Child Protection

Missing Children

Public awareness is being raised concerning the national tragedy of missing children. The statistics on the number of children who are reported missing are staggering. Not all missing children are runaways; some children just seem to vanish without a trace. We cannot always be with our children, and we must trust their intelligence and good judgment. We can teach our children to be alert to the world, giving them the tangible knowledge they need to cope with the few times they may find themselves in danger.

Playground and jungle gym

Education

Perhaps through education, we can prevent a child’s disappearance. The following 10 safety tips to help protect your child (PDF) provides some necessary precautions you can take to help protect your child from being a victim of abduction. Children should be aware, but not afraid. The Highland Park Department of Public Safety provides quality service in partnership with the community to create a safe environment for all.

Abductors

People who abduct children usually pick out a child who they think will be an easy target. Abductors usually select a child ahead of time. They look for children who walk to school alone, take shortcuts, or seem to be alienated from other children. Quite often, these people are found watching playgrounds observing children’s play habits. Parents can help protect children by teaching them to become aware of these dangerous people and the lures they use to entice them.

Registered Sex Offenders

The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains the database for registered sex offenders in the State of Texas. You may visit the Texas DPS website for sex offender registry information that is available to the public. The Texas DPS website includes searches by:

  • Registrant Name
  • Address
  • Zip Code
  • County
  • Institute of Higher Education

The U.S. Department of Justice maintains the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. Included on the website is helpful Education and Prevention information, fact sheets, victim support, and online resources.

A third searchable database for Registered Sex Offenders is crimereports.com. You may search by zip code, or city, and the Registered Sex Offender locations are identified by a red icon.