In 2024, NCPTF launched a groundbreaking Missing Child Rescue Operation (MCRO) in Buffalo, NY, in collaboration with Missing Persons Clearinghouse at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, local law enforcement, and partners across the private-sector, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations.
Over just three days, this intensive effort located 47 missing children, addressing not only their immediate safety but also the underlying factors that led them to go missing. This operation showcased the power of collaboration and remarkable results when dedicated individuals commit to creating long-term solutions for vulnerable children.
There are really no words to describe the energy I felt in Buffalo’s Child Advocacy Center during the 3 days of our operation. Honestly, it was electric.
To watch this group of nearly 60 dedicated, focused, and determined professionals meld into such a massively powerful child rescue focused force defied everyone’s greatest expectations, my own included.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have doubts. 50 cases? 3 days? How much of an impact could really be made? The answer reaffirmed everything I know about the power of bringing together groups of determined people… no problem is too big when we all come together.
Looking ahead, I am beyond inspired when I see the people and plans we have in place to grow this area of NCPTF and make real change for our children.
To watch this group of nearly 60 dedicated, focused, and determined professionals meld into such a massively powerful child rescue focused force defied everyone’s greatest expectations, my own included.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have doubts. 50 cases? 3 days? How much of an impact could really be made? The answer reaffirmed everything I know about the power of bringing together groups of determined people… no problem is too big when we all come together.
Looking ahead, I am beyond inspired when I see the people and plans we have in place to grow this area of NCPTF and make real change for our children.
What we achieved together in Buffalo has fundamentally reshaped how missing child cases are approached in this community, creating change that will ripple forward for years.
The true success lies in the way Buffalo now tackles these cases—with urgency, innovation, and a renewed ability to protect vulnerable children. That shift will benefit children and families for years to come, and it’s why we do this work.
This operation wouldn’t have been possible without the trust Buffalo showed in us. Their willingness to embrace a bold, innovative approach for the sake of their missing children was deeply humbling.
It’s proof that when communities are willing to think differently and work together, incredible change can happen.
The true success lies in the way Buffalo now tackles these cases—with urgency, innovation, and a renewed ability to protect vulnerable children. That shift will benefit children and families for years to come, and it’s why we do this work.
This operation wouldn’t have been possible without the trust Buffalo showed in us. Their willingness to embrace a bold, innovative approach for the sake of their missing children was deeply humbling.
It’s proof that when communities are willing to think differently and work together, incredible change can happen.
Buffalo transformed my understanding of the phrase
"It takes a village"
I arrived with expectations of working on 25 cases, hopefully finding some children, and fostering collaboration.
Instead, I witnessed an extraordinary gathering of sixty people from various agencies and perspectives, working tirelessly on fifty cases and successfully locating 47 children.
This operation broke down silos, forged new friendships, and equipped us with invaluable knowledge. Most importantly, it marked a significant shift in how we support our missing children. It was an honor to witness this village at its very best.
I arrived with expectations of working on 25 cases, hopefully finding some children, and fostering collaboration.
Instead, I witnessed an extraordinary gathering of sixty people from various agencies and perspectives, working tirelessly on fifty cases and successfully locating 47 children.
This operation broke down silos, forged new friendships, and equipped us with invaluable knowledge. Most importantly, it marked a significant shift in how we support our missing children. It was an honor to witness this village at its very best.
For me, collaborative efforts have ALWAYS been a force multiplier when protecting our most vulnerable, especially when so many agencies and orgs place themselves on an island, or they believe that they are the only ones in the fight. This always leads to information silos, or falling short of your mission. In Buffalo, this wasn’t the case.
We committed to collaboration and partnerships early on, and we stayed the course. That speaks towards the values of our organization.
I was assigned to Team #2, which consisted of NCMEC, FBI, HSI, New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse, Buffalo Police Department, and Amherst Police Department. My “eye opening” moment was how quickly we bonded as a team, and how each of us felt ownership to the cases we were assigned.
We committed to collaboration and partnerships early on, and we stayed the course. That speaks towards the values of our organization.
I was assigned to Team #2, which consisted of NCMEC, FBI, HSI, New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse, Buffalo Police Department, and Amherst Police Department. My “eye opening” moment was how quickly we bonded as a team, and how each of us felt ownership to the cases we were assigned.
We never met the children, but we knew we had to help them. We became quick friends and co-workers with a shared interest of finding “our” kids and getting them home or off the streets.
We are all currently on a text group and we communicate regularly with each other. That is the “force multiplier” of bringing together people and organizations who genuinely care about finding these children and helping them out of whatever situation they are currently in.
We are all currently on a text group and we communicate regularly with each other. That is the “force multiplier” of bringing together people and organizations who genuinely care about finding these children and helping them out of whatever situation they are currently in.
It was a privilege to represent the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Special Investigations Unit as an analyst at the first ever Missing Child Rescue Operation in Buffalo, NY together with our partners at the National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF) and the NY State Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse.
We committed to collaboration and partnerships early on, and we stayed the course. That speaks towards the values of our organization.
Witnessing the dedication of the 50+ law enforcement personnel, investigative analysts and support staff was deeply rewarding and the impact profound.
Together we were able to safely locate, bring home and provide long-term resources to 47 missing children in just three days. When we combine our passion to serve, expertise, and resources like this, it is truly incredible what good we can accomplish - I was honored to have played a small part in it.
We committed to collaboration and partnerships early on, and we stayed the course. That speaks towards the values of our organization.
Witnessing the dedication of the 50+ law enforcement personnel, investigative analysts and support staff was deeply rewarding and the impact profound.
Together we were able to safely locate, bring home and provide long-term resources to 47 missing children in just three days. When we combine our passion to serve, expertise, and resources like this, it is truly incredible what good we can accomplish - I was honored to have played a small part in it.
The Buffalo event was a profound experience for me, going beyond a simple child rescue operation. It was an opportunity to engage with and learn from a diverse array of professionals - detectives, vendors, child advocates, and social media experts. While our primary focus was on finding missing children, the collaborative process of sharing techniques and capabilities was often just as important.
I vividly remember sitting around a table, brainstorming how our group could take a single piece of data and leverage it across multiple systems and platforms. It was a truly eye-opening experience, working alongside the talented members of the task force and witnessing their dedication and innovative approaches. This collaborative effort allowed us to maximize our chances of locating the missing children.
The Buffalo event was transformative, expanding my understanding of the complexities involved in these critical operations. It highlighted the power of bringing together diverse skillsets and perspectives to tackle a shared challenge. This experience has left a lasting impact on me and the way I approach similar situations in the future.
I vividly remember sitting around a table, brainstorming how our group could take a single piece of data and leverage it across multiple systems and platforms. It was a truly eye-opening experience, working alongside the talented members of the task force and witnessing their dedication and innovative approaches. This collaborative effort allowed us to maximize our chances of locating the missing children.
The Buffalo event was transformative, expanding my understanding of the complexities involved in these critical operations. It highlighted the power of bringing together diverse skillsets and perspectives to tackle a shared challenge. This experience has left a lasting impact on me and the way I approach similar situations in the future.
On behalf of Penlink, it was an incredible honor to support the Missing Child Rescue Operation in Buffalo, New York, organized by the National Child Protection Task Force and the Missing Persons Clearinghouse.
This operation was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
Walking into that room the first day to find local, state, and federal agencies, along with nonprofits and private sector companies coming together was awe-inspiring. No egos, no silos—each of us simply offering up our skills and resources to focus solely on one mission: recovering missing children. As the numbers of recovered children rose each day, so did the passion and hope of every person in the room.
This operation was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
Walking into that room the first day to find local, state, and federal agencies, along with nonprofits and private sector companies coming together was awe-inspiring. No egos, no silos—each of us simply offering up our skills and resources to focus solely on one mission: recovering missing children. As the numbers of recovered children rose each day, so did the passion and hope of every person in the room.
This event reaffirmed my belief in the power of collaboration across sectors and the positive change we can all can bring when we work together. This experience has inspired me to continue working tirelessly to protect our most vulnerable and to foster partnerships that make such impactful work possible.
I think the term runaway can be dangerous.
Just because a child ran away doesn't mean they're not endangered... it just means they willingly left.
The unfortunate thing with missing person cases, you're playing catch-up from the start. If you treat it as a runaway and then you realize it's more serious, it's even harder to play catch-up.
Nobody realizes a child is endangered until they know they're endangered.
Again... why is a child willing to leave?
There's still a level of endangerment there.
Just because a child ran away doesn't mean they're not endangered... it just means they willingly left.
The unfortunate thing with missing person cases, you're playing catch-up from the start. If you treat it as a runaway and then you realize it's more serious, it's even harder to play catch-up.
Nobody realizes a child is endangered until they know they're endangered.
Again... why is a child willing to leave?
There's still a level of endangerment there.
Join us.
The need for more Missing Child Rescue Operations has never been greater—every day, more children slip through the cracks. This is a problem we can help solve right now. Our innovative model is proving that rapid, collaborative intervention changes outcomes for our most vulnerable youth, but without additional funding, we simply can’t expand these lifesaving operations to the communities that need them most.
Your gift of $25/month supports Missing Child Rescue Operations in four communities in 2025.
This article was featured in our 2024 Impact Report.