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The Hazelwood Police Department is hosting its 3rd Missouri Child Identification and Protection Program (MoCHIP) in partnership with the Bridgeton Masonic Loge #80 on Saturday, June 11, at Cabela’s at St. Louis Mills in Hazelwood. This event begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. The Bridgeton Freemasons are covering the event costs, allowing the HPD to provide this service free of charge to every family who wishes to participate.

The Hazelwood Police Dept.  is building on the successes of two previous MoCHIP events at the Bommarito Honda Superstore and LDS Church in Hazelwood where nearly 500 children have gone through the ID process, allowing parents to take home with them a sealed envelope containing vital information and instructions on what to do when a child ends up missing. Organizers anticipate this event at the only Cabela’s in the state of Missouri to be the biggest one yet.

“The tremendous response we’ve received from our other two MoCHIP events indicates that parents are concerned about the safety of their children and they are looking for a measure of protection against the ever-increasing problem of missing and abducted children,” said Sgt. Don Routh, N.A.T. Supervisor/ Volunteer Coordinator. “Statewide officials for MoCHIP have been so impressed with our event turnouts that they’ve agreed to work with us again. We also appreciate having active corporate citizens like Cabela’s and the St. Louis Mills management in our community, who are willing to step up and support our efforts to make Hazelwood and the surrounding North County area a safer place to raise a family.”

Since the program’s inception in 2005, MoCHIP has processed over 125,000 children at 780 events held throughout the state. Sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Masons in the state of Missouri and endorsed by the Conference of Grand Masters, the MoCHIP program (www.mochip.org) is a part of the National Masonichip network. It is considered the best of its kind in Missouri, averaging at least 162 at each event. This system has been used seven times in finding children who were missing.

“Parents today are better educated as to the potential risk that exists for their children’s safety. And, many of them have participated in our MoCHIP program because it offers them a quick and easy way to gather vital information about their children’s physical features, fingerprints and DNA in case they need it,” noted Sgt. Routh.

Several ID stations will be set up inside Cabela’s to record the children’s physical features, as well as snap digital photos and scan fingerprints. All this information is then burned onto a mini-CD disk, which can be uploaded to the Amber Alert system within a minute and a half. Other items such as two laminated ID cards, full dental impressions and other non-invasive DNA samples are put inside a sealed envelope, along with the CD, and given to each child’s parents. This entire process usually takes less than 20 minutes.

To help keep the children entertained, St. Louis Mills’ Simon Kidgits Club will be offering several fun activities, a BBQ, and a Sensory Safari as part of its “Kids Safety Day.” Life-size mascot characters such as the River City Rascals’ Ruffy, McGruff the Crime Dog, and Darren of the D.A.R.E. program are scheduled to make appearances as well as to greet all the youngsters. In addition, an ARCH helicopter will be landing in the parking lot next to Cabela’s at 10 a.m.

St. Louis Mills, Missouri’s largest outlet and value retail shopping and entertainment destination, provides the ultimate shopping experience with more than 175 outlet and retail stores. This mega shopping mall is located off Hwy 370 at Exit 22B, which is close to I-270, I-70 and I-170. Shoppers can dine at great restaurants such as Chevys Fresh Mex, Tony Roma’s and Johnny Rockets. Family fun is a must at NASCAR SpeedPark, Plan Nine Skatepark, Ice Zone and Regal Cinemas 18, which is one of only three in St. Louis with an IMAX theater offering state-of-the-art 3D experience.

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