Full Notification

Cass County is pleased to announce the formation of a Missing Child Response Team (MCRT). In September of 2012, many Cass County public officials sent members of their staff to Amber Alert training in Louisville Kentucky. This training, entitled Child Abduction Response Team training, was funded by the Department of Justice and assisted these members in forming a team dedicated to the recovery of missing or abducted children.
These members learned that:
*When a child is abducted 74% are murdered within 3 hours of the time of the abduction and 91% are murdered within 24 hours.
*No ONE agency has all of the necessary resources needed to conduct a child abduction investigation quickly.
*Most law enforcement agencies have never conducted an investigation into an abducted child.
*A coordinated effort to find that child is the best way to increase the chances of the survival of that child.
By having one trained team of individuals already involved in the safety, security and welfare of children to coordinate the efforts to locate a missing or abducted child, it will ensure that the child is given the best chance possible to return home to their family.
Over the past few months the team has met regularly at the county Emergency Operations Center and has formulated a response plan that incorporates the efforts of public safety personnel, child welfare officials and volunteers towards the goal of being ready and able to help find and return any missing child to their family. The plan incorporates search, investigation and logistical coordination using all of the resources available to each member of the team. The team has notified all of the law enforcement agencies within the county that, should they request it, it is available to coordinate the search and investigation of any abducted or missing children within Cass County.

Training is also a key component to the response plan that was formulated. Team members will be working with local emergency response agencies, Cass County Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) members and public volunteers in upcoming training exercises. The MCRT will also be available to assist in coordinating child safety presentations.

The team is composed of members of the following State, County and Local agencies that serve Cass County, Michigan:
Cass County Sheriff's Office,
Dowagiac City Police Department
Cass County Prosecutors Office
Cass County Family Court
Michigan Department of Corrections
Cass County Information Systems
Dowagiac Fire Department
Michigan Department of Human Services
Cass County Emergency Management
Michigan State Police
Pokagon Band Tribal Police Department
Woodlands Behavioral Health.
For more information about the Cass County Missing Child Response Team contact Captain Lyndon Parrish of the Cass County Sheriff's Office at 269 445-1204.