A Free Community-Wide Child Identification Program

Supported by the Anchor Bay Community Foundation

Justin Mello Memorial Fund
“Be Smart, Don’t Start” Anti-Smoking Campaign

How the Program Works:

About the equipment…
The program includes a card printer, laptop computer, video camera, medical scale, and fingerprint capture device. A form is provided requiring name, date of birth, eye color, height, weight, and parent/guardian along with address and phone number. A thumbprint is captured; a photo is taken; and all the data is entered and integrated into the Chesterfield Township Police Department database and printed on a durable plastic identification card that is provided for parent and child.

What to do if your child is missing…
The parent/guardian will have a card containing all of the child’s vital information, which can be provided to law enforcement officials with the key facts needed to start a search. When the police are notified, within minutes they can access the digital data, transmit the photograph to on-board computers in patrol cars, and create missing person flyers.

The Identification Card…
It is suggested that the card be carried in your wallet where it is easily remembered and quickly accessed. The front of the card includes all the vital statistics and color photo and thumbprint. The back of the card provides valuable information to both parent and child. The parent card lists steps to follow if a child is missing while the child card provides safety information—don’t talk to strangers, wear a bike helmet, etc.

Annual updates recommended…
It is recommended that the cards be updated annually at the Chesterfield Township Police Department at 46525 Continental located in the industrial complex east of I-94 and south of 21 Mile Road, or through the school program.

Justin Mello Memorial Fund:
After the tragic murder of Justin Mello in October 2000, hundreds of people from the community offered support and sympathy and donated thousands of dollars in Justin’s memory to the Anchor Bay Community Foundation. Some of those funds have been endowed to create scholarships for law enforcement and criminal justice. The first of those was awarded in 2002.

In the winters of 2002, 2003 and 2004, the New Baltimore Lions Polar Bear Plunge drew large crowds to the New Baltimore City Park . In excess of $20,000 was raised to benefit the Justin Mello Memorial. Monies from the event, along with funds from the Anchor Bay Community Foundation helped establish the Justin Mello KidPrint Program. Originally administered by the New Baltimore Police Department, over 1,500 children have been provided with the ID cards. The program has been used at elementary schools in Anchor Bay , L’Anse Creuse and Immaculate Conception, Presbyterian Village , BayRama, and other community functions. Alzheimer patients have also been provided with ID cards.

In 2004, the program was expanded to the Chesterfield Township Police Department to include L’Anse Creuse/Chesterfield elementary schools. It is hoped that in the future there may be a link to the Amber Alert System.

To download a permission slip to allow you child to participate in the Justin Mello Kid Print program < CLICK HERE >

Donations to the Anchor Bay Community Foundation will help support the Justin Mello Identification Program, and grants and scholarships for cultural, social, and educational programs.

Anchor Bay Community Foundation
51066 Washington Street
New Baltimore, MI 48047

 Remember: “Be Smart, Don’t Start” Smoking