The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) announced the successful location of 63 children and teens reported missing as runaways in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy as part of the inaugural Capital Region Missing Child Rescue Operations.
This groundbreaking campaign, organized by DCJS in collaboration with the state Office of Children and Family Services and the National Child Protection Task Force, included over 60 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit groups, and commercial sector partners.
DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado expressed satisfaction with the operation’s success, noting,
I am so proud of this ground-breaking work, which is coordinated by our Missing Persons Clearinghouse staff and the National Child Protection Task Force and supported by nearly 50 public and private sector partners.
A three-day operation was completed on March 13, successfully reuniting 64 missing people with their families. The effort brings together public, nonprofit, and corporate partners to investigate new leads, examine case notes, and use technology to locate children who are at risk of endangerment, exploitation, or harm.
The children and teenagers varied in age from 2 to 17 years old when reported missing and 6 to 21 years old when located.
The Albany Police Department closed 47 cases, Troy 11, and Schenectady 5.
In addition, the Colonie Police Department located a 25-year-old missing vulnerable adult, which added to the overall number of individuals found. The operation ended at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, underlined the value of collaboration, saying,
Ensuring the safety and well-being of missing children is not just a government responsibility, rather a moral and societal imperative, that requires the leveraging of all resources and stakeholders – public and private.
The initiative also got donations from Cash App and Square, Penlink, and Target’s Niskayuna location to give needed things for the youngsters.
National Child Protection Task Force CEO Kevin Branzetti emphasized the importance of their role, saying,
At NCPTF, our commitment is simple: Find. Listen. Help. Every missing child is at risk, regardless of how they are classified—runaway, abducted, or missing. And every child deserves urgency, care, and action.
The operation is the second collaboration between the DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse and the NCPTF, following a successful effort in Erie County.
The National Child Protection Task Force intends to conduct three additional Missing Child Rescue Operations across the country this year before returning to New York in early 2026.