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Show Record commend those who help pravert All parents hate even the thought of the kidnapping kid-napping of their children. It isn't a pleasant thought. However, incidences in Utah and across the nation over the past few months have focused the thoughts of all of us on our children and on the possibility of them ever being abducted. That thinking of the almost unthinkable, however unpleasant, is good. Although our minds may revolt at the thought of our children being kidnapped, now we are thinking about it, and we are doing things to prevent it. We commend all those who are participating in making our communities in Iron County safer for our kids. We thank the Parent Teacher Association for initiating the Block Watch Program. We thank parents and others for participating. We thank teachers and school administrators for making preventative teaching a part of the everyday activities ac-tivities . of our children. We thank the local police departments and sheriff's department for helping. Now, we would encourage every parent to take part in the newest of these programs to help with tis problem. The Iron County Sheriff's Department and the Parent Teachers Association are sponsoring a fingerprinting service for any parents who will bring their Children to the sheriff's office, 45 E. Lincoln Avenue, Cedar City. The parents will then be issued a fingerprint card with the child's prints. There is also a place for a lock of the child's hair and for a picture. This card can be used later to identify the child if there ever is a problem. To avoid a rush, the department has asked that the children come by school, with parents picking their children up at the school and taking them to the department. It will begin the week of Oct. 11 for the East Elementary. The following week will be for the Enoch Elementary, which will be done at Enoch. Then, the Middle School, North Elementary and South Elementary will follow, one week at a time. Also, provisions will be made for bus students and students in Beryl. And, according to Sheriff Ira Schoppmann, the program will be brought to Parowan as quickly as possible. Anyhone with questions should contact Schoppmann, Schopp-mann, or" County PTA President Shirley Fife. To further help in preventing kidnappings, the Iron County Sheriff's Department has offered the following hints. These hints are also contained in the story on page Al ; however, we repeat them here in the hope that this will reinforce the need for caution and inform every parent of its applications. 1. Educate your children. "You can't stress too much, never ride with strangers," said Sheriff Schoppmann. 2. Participate in and support the Block Watch Program the PTA has initiated. Also, if your neighborhood neigh-borhood is interested, establish some type of neighborhood neigh-borhood watch. 3. Don't allow strangers to identify your children by your placing names on their shirts when they go to school or playgrounds. 4. Participate in the fingerprinting program the PTA and sheriff's department have initiated. We hope the children of Iron County will always be safe. We think they can be, wjth the help of everyone involved. |