Overview
NCMEC has a regional office in the state of New York. Our Rochester office has a unique history and plays an important role in NCMEC’s greater outreach, education, and fundraising efforts.
In response to the death of Adam Walsh, local business and community leaders formed the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center in 1984. Located in Rochester, New York, the Adam Walsh Center merged with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 1992 to become the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children/New York Regional Office (NCMEC/NY).
Finding Missing Children in New York
Dedicated case managers and their teams add value to cases of missing children reported to both law enforcement and NCMEC, while serving as an information hub for the law enforcement, families, and others who may become involved in a case of a missing or exploited child. Below are key numbers regarding NCMEC’s missing children efforts in 2022:
Missing children from New York cases which were resolved: 2,802*
*This includes children reported as missing from any previous year
11 missing children from New York has age-progressed images created in 2022
Children reported to NCMEC as missing in New York: 2,835
73,641 missing child posters distributed in New York through ADAM program
NCMEC provided support for 1 AMBER Alert case initiated by New York law enforcement involving 1 child
Reducing Child Exploitation in New York
Through funding by the Department of Justice, the U.S. has sixty-one (61) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces, which are dedicated law enforcement agencies that serve as that state's expert and hub on these types of crimes. Due to its size and population, the state of New York has two ICACs – New York State Police and New York City Police Department – both of which consistently year after year are among the top highest volume ICACs in receiving CyberTipline reports and investigating leads of suspected child sexual exploitation.
In 2022, New York law enforcement received more than 24,000 actionable CyberTipline reports. Of those, 233 were Priority 1 or 2 reports, indicating immediate or imminent sexual abuse of a child. More than 57,000 of those total reports were related to the possession, distribution, or production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Additionally, more than 900 of those total reports concerned suspected online enticement, including sextortion, a continued risk to children as more and younger kids spend time online. Learn more here!
Like every state, sadly child sex trafficking is a serious concern for the state of New York. Through reports from the CyberTipline and missing child intakes, NCMEC has a dedicated team of analysts specialized in these vulnerable victims and engage with law enforcement on their behalf. In addition, a team located at NCMEC headquarters provides real time analytical support to law enforcement recovery operations, focused on identifying and safeguarding children who are sex trafficked.
Preventing Victimization in New York
Internet and real-world safety education is the backbone to prevention. The training staff in the Regional Office engage with schools and community groups throughout the state and endeavor to educate all children in age-appropriate ways about staying safer both on and offline. In addition, the outreach staff inform and educate child-serving professionals, law enforcement, like-minded organizations about the programs, resources, and services of NCMEC so we can all work better together to protect children. The training and outreach staff also represent NCMEC on various working groups and collaboration projects on a state and local level to leverage resources on a larger scale.
Educated through NetSmartz and KidSmartz sessions in 2022:
Adults: 1,642
Children: 10,554
670 registered NCMEC Connect users from New York
Core Services
Abduction Prevention, Personal, and Online Safety Education: The New York Office has staff dedicated to local community outreach who specialize in the delivery of the KidSmartz and NetSmartz safety curricula. These safety education programs for parents, children, law enforcement, and other professionals are delivered in schools, to community groups, day care centers, and other venues. To request a safety presentation in your community, contact your nearest regional office.
Missing Child Poster Distribution: The New York Office distributes posters to targeted areas across the nation based upon investigative leads developed through NCMEC case management work and through local, state, and federal law enforcement investigations.
Community Outreach: NCMEC understands the importance of growing community capacity to protect children. NCMEC staff participate in local events such as health fairs, safety events, and school open houses, making safety information, child ID kits, and other NCMEC resources available to the public.
Law Enforcement Training: The Office in New York offers training for law enforcement, school personnel, and other professionals from the US and abroad who work cases involving missing or exploited children, or who serve children in other capacities.
Case Management Services: The New York Office provides case management services to law enforcement and families on missing children’s cases across New York State, nationally and internationally
Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP): The New York Office has staff dedicated to help identify and locate children found in images and video of child sexual abuse and exploitation locally, nationwide, and worldwide.
Events
Please join us during our events! Our events help raise awareness and funding for our work to find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation, and prevent child victimization. Visit our Events page to learn about events happening in your area.
Contact
New York Regional Office
275 Lake Avenue
Rochester, NY 14608-1042
Phone: 585-242-0900
If your child is missing, IMMEDIATELY call 911, then contact NCMEC by calling 1-800-THE-LOST.
For questions, assistance, or resources related to missing or sexually exploited children’s cases, please call our 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Visit our main Education page to learn more about our programs, services, and training.
Want to learn more on how you can help? Visit our Support Us page.
To arrange for interviews or comments from a NCMEC employee, please email media@ncmec.org.