U.S. Attorney Announces “Be Here For Kids” Event In Tucson

            TUCSON, Ariz. - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, is hosting the “Be Here For Kids” event on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at the Children’s Museum in Tucson.  The event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

            The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) created the “Be Here For Kids” campaign to promote awareness about all child safety issues.  The campaign is designed to help parents and others teach children to be aware, alert, and cautious to potential threats and to provide steps that children can take to stay safe, both on the Internet and in daily life.  Families also are encouraged to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about abduction and safety prevention.

            “The annual ‘Be Here For Kids’ national child safety campaign is particularly important this time of year, when children begin their summer breaks and have more time on their hands” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “This event is designed to increase awareness among parents and children of the potential threats to child safety present in daily life, including the Internet.”

            This year’s event is being presented in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Pima County Attorney’s Office, and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.  Interactive children’s self-defense demonstrations by Ko Sho Martial Training Institute will take place throughout the day, and digital child identification kits will be provided free of charge to those that attend.

             A similar Phoenix event is scheduled for June 12, 2015.

For more information on NCMEC, visit www.missingkids.com. For more information about the Take 25 campaign, visit www.Take25.org. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

RELEASE NUMBER:           2015-040_Take_25_Tucson

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az

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