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Community Corner

How to Find Your Lost Child

The Bel Air Police Department will host its annual Child Safety Fair this Saturday in Shamrock Park.

Parents afraid of losing their kids and kids afraid of talking to cops can alleviate both family fears at the same time this weekend.

The Bel Air Police Department will host its annual Child Safety Fair in Shamrock Park from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday in an environment that is designed to be fun for children and helpful to parents. Each child who attends can get his fingerprint on an electronic "Kid Print" identification card that parents can use anywhere.

"The reason that we do it is that there's children lost every day throughout the country and this is one way that the parent can help law enforcement find the child immediately," Chief of Police Leo Matrangola said. "The parents should carry it on them all the time, available to hand to a police officer. Whether it's at the boardwalk, the beach, Disney World or a cruise ship."

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Matrangola added that children are most likely to get lost or abducted between the ages of 5 and 12. In addition to the peace of mind parents receive from the event, there is something in it for the children, too.

Every child who gets a card made will receive free soda and a hot dog. Additionally, a local news station's television helicopter will be on hand at the beginning of the event, pony rides will be available and there will be a number of activities for families to get more acquainted with the town's law enforcement.

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"It's a good time for the kids to see police officers in a casual atmosphere to talk to them, ask questions, look at their equipment, public works equipment, police cars," Matrangola said.

At noon the Police Department's K-9 dog Brutus will be featured in a demonstration.

Children and their families do not need to be residents of Bel Air in order to be eligible for the fair's activities, including Kid Print.

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