The Child Abduction Response Team (CART) program is seeking coordinators.
The program offers administrative and operational assistance to law enforcement agencies in anticipation of, or in the event of, the abduction of a child. After an abduction, the CART program is designed to quickly summon resources, help manage the recovery of the child, and assist in the criminal investigation. It has been used in Ohio since 2006 and was reorganized in 2014.
Larry McCoy, a special agent for the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Ohio CART coordinator, said the program has 40 coordinators but having more would be beneficial to law enforcement.
Cart coordinators act as the leaders of CART within their jurisdictions. They know where to find resources in their region and how to tailor a response to the unique circumstances of an abduction.
CART coordinators receive advanced training and are considered assets to their agencies and communities, McCoy said. They make sure rescue, recovery and investigation activities are swift and efficient when lost time can mean a loss of life.
A law enforcement chief executive can identify and register a CART coordinator through the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG) portal. The application is available on the OHLEG home page.
For more information, call 855-BCI-OHIO, or send email to
ohiocart@ohioattorneygeneral.gov.
Qualifications
According to the
Child Abduction Response Team Certification Manual, by the U.S. Department of Justice, a CART Coordinator:
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May be sworn or non-sworn personnel.
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Must have supervisory responsibilities within a law enforcement agency.
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Must possess a proven background in leadership and management.
In addition to the Department of Justice criteria, the Ohio CART Steering Committee recommends the following qualifications:
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Must have public safety or crisis management experience.
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Must be a LEADS (Law Enforcement Automated Data System) Practitioner (as defined by the LEADS Manual).
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Must have National Incident Management (NIMS) Certification including Incident Command System courses 100, 200 and 700.
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Within one year of appointment, the CART Coordinator must complete:
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CART Team Leader Training.
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NIMS ICS-300.