Emergency 9-1-1 calls regarding missing and/or sexually exploited children could be the first step towards saving a child in your community. The North East King County Regional Public Safety Communications Agency (NORCOM), which includes the Kirkland Police and Fire departments, is prepared to take these types of calls.

NORCOM has recently become a NCMEC 9-1-1 Call Center Partner. This program acknowledges NORCOM’s commitment to making the safety of our children a priority. Every 9-1-1 call involving a missing and/or sexually exploited child must be handled according to best practices.

To promote the adoption of these best practices, NCMEC has created the 9-1-1 Call Center Partner Program. NORCOM has incorporated the best practices in its policies and training material, making a commitment to follow these best practices. NORCOM becomes the first 911 communications center in the state of Washington and the 21st agency in the country to partner with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

“When a child is missing, the first few moments of that incident are the most critical. These calls demand a timely and coordinated response between 911 and law enforcement. By becoming a NCMEC partner agency, NORCOM is reaffirming our commitment to our participating agencies and the community that our Telecommunicators have the training, tools and resources necessary to aid in the successful recovery of these children,” said NORCOM Executive Director Chris Fischer.

Every 9-1-1 call center must have in place policies and training to help ensure every missing and sexually exploited child is given the best chance to be found alive and unharmed. Learn how to become a 9-1-1 Partner at www.missingkids.com/911.