Crime & Safety

New Hood Decals on Manalapan Police Cars Publicize Missing Children

The Manalapan Police Department will be placing hood decals on their cars; one commemorates 9/11 victims, the other displays pictures of kidnapped children.

The Manalapan Township Police Department announced two new features involving their patrol fleet. 

First,  a hood decal has been placed on the hoods of all of the marked patrol units to commemorate the tragedy of September 11, 2001. "As you all know, this is the tenth anniversary, and I think this is a very, very good program," Public Safety Commissioner Jordan Maskowitz said at the Township Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 11. Maskowitz has served the state police for over 25 years. 

The second item is an initiative entitled “Picture Them Home”, which is a program that displays pictures of missing children on the rear windows of the police cars. The decals include the picture of the missing child, the question "Have you seen me?", and the phone number 1-800-THE-LOST. Patrolman Ross Dessel executed the program, according to Maskowitz. 

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The "Picture Them Home" Campaign was founded by the Morgan Nick Foundation, an organization which "exists to provide solutions to educate families, law enforcement, and youth leadership to aid in the prevention of missing and exploited children," according the foundation's Web site. 

The organization was established in 1996 by the Colleen Nick, whose child, Morgan Chauntel Nick, was kidnapped just yards away from her mother at a little league game in Arkansas in 1995, the Web site explains. Morgan is still missing. 

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The Morgan Nick Foundation reports that more than 2,000 children go missing every year in the United States, and that approximately 17 percent could be brought home because of someone recognizing their picture. 

Selected patrol vehicles will have 2 separate photos of missing children along with an information packet concerning the details of the particular case, according to Capt. Chris Marsala of the Manalapan Township Police Department. 


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