Section 837-F. Missing and exploited children clearinghouse

There is hereby
  established  within  the  division  a  missing  and  exploited  children
  clearinghouse to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the
  tragic problems of missing and exploited children. In  addition  to  the
  activities  of  the statewide central register for missing children, the
  commissioner shall be authorized to:
    1. Plan and implement programs to ensure the  most  effective  use  of
  federal,  state  and local resources in the investigation of missing and
  exploited children;
    2. Exchange information and resources with other  states,  and  within
  New York state, concerning missing and exploited children;
    3.  Establish  a  case  data  base  which  will include nonidentifying
  information on reported children and facts developed in the phases of  a
  search,  and  analyze  such  data  for  the  purposes  of: assisting law
  enforcement in their current investigations  of  missing  and  exploited
  children, developing prevention programs and increasing understanding of
  the nature and extent of the problem; and share the data and analysis on
  a  regular  basis  with  the  National  Center for Missing and Exploited
  Children;
    4. Disseminate a directory of resources to assist in the  locating  of
  missing children;
    5.  Cooperate  with  public  and  private schools and organizations to
  develop education and prevention programs concerning  child  safety  for
  communities, parents and children;
    6.  Provide assistance in returning recovered children who are located
  out-of-state;
    7. By January first, nineteen hundred  eighty-seven  arrange  for  the
  development  of  a  curriculum  for  the  training  of  law  enforcement
  personnel investigating cases involving missing and exploited children;
    8. Assist federal, state and local agencies in  the  investigation  of
  cases involving missing and exploited children;
    9. Utilize available resources to duplicate photographs and posters of
  children  reported  as  missing  by  police and with consent of parents,
  guardians or others legally responsible,  disseminate  this  information
  throughout the state;
    10.   Beginning  on  January  first,  nineteen  hundred  eighty-seven,
  disseminate, on a regular basis, a bulletin  containing  information  on
  children  in  the  missing  children's  register  to the state education
  department which shall then forward such bulletin to  every  public  and
  private  school  where  parents, guardians or others legally responsible
  for such children have given consent;
    10-a. (a) By November first, nineteen hundred  ninety-seven  prescribe
  general guidelines to enable the state legislature and state agencies to
  assist  in the location and recovery of missing children. The guidelines
  shall provide information relating to:
    (i) the form and manner in which materials and information  pertaining
  to  missing  children including but not limited to biographical data and
  pictures, sketches or other likenesses may be  included  in  stationery,
  newsletters and other written or electronic printings;
    (ii) appropriate sources from which such materials and information may
  be obtained;
    (iii)  the  procedures  by which such materials and information may be
  obtained; and
    (iv) any other matter the clearinghouse considers appropriate.
    (b) By January first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight  arrange  for  the
  transmission of biographical information and pictures, sketches or other
  likenesses  of  missing  children to state agencies, departments and the
  legislature to use in printings.

    11. Operate a toll-free twenty-four hour hotline for the public to use
  to relay information concerning missing children;
    12.  Submit an annual report to the governor and legislature regarding
  the activities of the clearinghouse  including  statistical  information
  involving  reported  cases of missing children pursuant to section eight
  hundred thirty-seven-m of this article and a summary of  the  division's
  efforts with respect to the use of monies from the missing and exploited
  children  clearinghouse fund created pursuant to section ninety-two-w of
  the state finance law; and
    13. Take such  other  steps  as  necessary  to  assist  in  education,
  prevention,  service  provision  and  investigation  of  cases involving
  missing and exploited children.
    14. (a) In consultation with the division of state  police  and  other
  appropriate  agencies,  develop,  and  regularly  update and distribute,
  model missing child prompt response and notification plans, which  shall
  be  available  for  use,  in  their discretion, as appropriate, by local
  communities and law enforcement personnel. Such plans  shall  involve  a
  pro-active,  coordinated  response,  planned  in  advance,  that  may be
  promptly triggered by law enforcement personnel upon confirmation  by  a
  police  officer, peace officer or police agency of a report of a missing
  child,  as  defined  in  subdivision  one  of  section   eight   hundred
  thirty-seven-e of this article.
    (b) Such plans shall, at a minimum, provide that:
    (i)  the  name  of  such missing child, a description of the child and
  other pertinent information may be promptly dispatched over  the  police
  communication  system,  pursuant  to  subdivision  three  of section two
  hundred twenty-one of this chapter;
    (ii)  such   information   may   be   immediately   provided   orally,
  electronically  or  by  facsimile  transmission  to  one  or  more radio
  stations  and  other  broadcast  media  outlets  serving  the  community
  including,  but  not limited to, those which have voluntarily agreed, in
  advance,  to  promptly  notify  other  such  radio  stations  and  other
  broadcast media outlets in like manner;
    (iii)  such information may be immediately provided by electronic mail
  message to one or more internet service providers and commercial  mobile
  service  providers  serving the community including, but not limited to,
  those which have voluntarily agreed,  in  advance,  to  promptly  notify
  other such internet service providers in like manner;
    (iv)  participating  radio  stations and other participating broadcast
  media outlets serving the community may voluntarily  agree  to  promptly
  broadcast  a  missing child alert providing pertinent details concerning
  the child's  disappearance,  breaking  into  regular  programming  where
  appropriate;
    (v)  participating  internet  service  providers and commercial mobile
  service  providers  serving  the  community  may  voluntarily  agree  to
  promptly  provide  by  electronic  mail  message  a  missing child alert
  providing pertinent details concerning the child's disappearance;
    (vi) police agencies not connected with the basic police communication
  system in use in such jurisdiction may transmit such information to  the
  nearest  or  most convenient electronic entry point, from which point it
  may be promptly dispatched, in conformity  with  the  orders,  rules  or
  regulations governing the system; and
    (vii)  no  dispatch  or  transmission of a report concerning a missing
  child shall be  required  by  such  plan  if  the  investigating  police
  department  advises,  in  its  discretion,  that  the  release  of  such
  information may jeopardize the investigation or the safety of the child,
  or requests forbearance for any reason.

    (c) The commissioner shall also designate a unit within  the  division
  that  shall assist law enforcement agencies and representatives of radio
  stations,  broadcast  media  outlets,  internet  service  providers  and
  commercial  mobile  service  providers in the design, implementation and
  improvement  of  missing  child  prompt response and notification plans.
  Such unit shall  make  ongoing  outreach  efforts  to  local  government
  entities  and local law enforcement agencies to assist such entities and
  agencies in the implementation and operation of such plans with the goal
  of implementing and operating such plans in every  jurisdiction  in  New
  York state.
    (d)  The  commissioner  shall  also  maintain  and  make  available to
  appropriate  state  and  local  law  enforcement   agencies   up-to-date
  information   concerning  technological  advances  that  may  assist  in
  facilitating the recovery of missing children.  Such  information  shall
  include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  technology using computer assisted
  imaging to "age enhance" photographs of missing children, and technology
  that  may  be  used  to  enter  such  photographs  and  other  pertinent
  information  concerning  missing  children into a database accessible to
  appropriate officials and persons.