U.S. Attorney Announces National Take 25 Initiative

In observance of National Missing Children’s Day, United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III led various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and community partners in the national Take 25 Child Safety campaign. This event highlighted the cooperative efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to prevent, enforce, and prosecute crimes of exploitation against children. The Take 25 initiative was created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction. As part of the event, U.S. Attorney Bentley and his law enforcement peers each signed a pledge to take at least 25 minutes to discuss child safety and Internet dangers with a child. 

(Pictured – Center: U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley; Left to right: Assistant State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit Mark Caliel, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Dwayne Senterfitt, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Jacksonville Regional Special Agent in Charge Dennis Bustle, Special Agent in Charge for the Southeast Field Office of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service Andrew Snowdon, Jacksonville FBI Supervisory Special Agent/Violent Crimes Squad Deborah McCarley, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Sheriff John Rutherford)

U.S. Attorney Bentley and Sheriff Rutherford sign the Take 25 Pledge

The Pledge