COMPANIES DEPEND ON FEAR

Finger
anger ki

AN INCREASE in

ds

the number of salesmen offering

fingerprinting kits for children has angered representatives
of Child Find B.C. and B.C. Block Parents.

Julie Cullen, chairman of Child
Find, said the kits which are being
sold door-to-door are not neces-
sary and that salesmen are using
high pressure tactics to make their
profits.

“These companies depend on
parental fear to get in the door,”
Cullen said. ‘‘They’re making huge
profits by telling parents that the
kit is going to prevent abduction.
You kear about Genni Mae and
Clifford Olson but 95 per cent of
abductions are parental (custody
matters).

OVERDRAMATIZE

“The press tends to  over-
dramatize something that is very
sensitive,’’ she continued.
“Children need the facts. They
don’t need a lot of hysteria.”

Cullen said she knows of four
companies operating in B.C. who
sell fingerprinting kits for
anywhere between $8 to $20 per
child.

She said if parents want a record
of their children’s fingerprints they
do not have to pay a fee under a
program, such as London Drugs’
Operation Family Identification
program.

Both Child Find and Block

By KIM PEMBERTON
News Reporter

Parents recommend parents have
an identification file for their
children.

Fr

JULIE CULLEN

‘But they caution parents to ex-
amine the services being offered in
their area before deciding.

*‘Although we endorse London
Drugs’ fingerprinting program,
very few parents would have to use
it. We would encourage people,

rinting {ki
roups

ts

instead, to have clear and current
shots of their children. Also dental
records are a better way to identify
a body, so there are other ways,”’
Cullen said.

OTHER METHODS

Cullen noted that recent studies
in the United States show fewer
parents are opting to have their
children fingerprinted.

But she said if parents do want
to do so, they should at least en-
sure that the company has a
business licence.

The RCMP said they are aware
that the number of companies of-
fering fingerprinting kits has in-
creased in Vancouver and the sur-
rounding area. And like Child
Find and Block Parents the RCMP
refuse to endorse these ventures.

Cst. Alison trons from North
Vancouver’s Community Policing
division said parents should be
aware that fingerprints cannot in
themselves locate a child. They on-
ly help to identify a child who has
been located, she said.

Irons said the RCMP is af-
filiated with the Operation Family
Identification, where volunteers
are trained by the police on how to
take a fingerprint.

She said the commercial kits are
of fittle use, because without the
training it is unlikely parents will
be able to make a clear print.

NEWS photo fan Smith

FINGERPRINTING kits being soid “commercially have upset Child Find B.C. and B.C. Block Parents who
claim salesmen are using parental fear to make their sales. They suggest parents who want fingerprints of their
children should participate in London Drags Operation Family Identification program, which is run in con-

junction with the RCMP.

- Sunday, February 16, 1986 - North Shore News

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Also charged asa. result’ of ’ thé. seizare wer

year: ad
Gordon Currie. of. Delta: and 42-year-old, William, Edgar. Bicknell of

: “nary heer in Nort Vancouver provincial al
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