Reporting missing kids has improved
By Terry Murry on Monday, October 10th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Pendleton School District and Pendleton Police Department have issued a few alerts for missing students since the new school year began. Police Chief Chuck Byram said it’s not that there are more missing kids than normally seen. It’s just that reporting is better and social media is fast.
“It’s not anything new as far ask kids not showing up after school,” he said. “It’s just that we get that information out there faster now. The school district does a great job. We do a good job. The community does a great job. Everybody’s concerned about a missing kid.”
Byram said that social media has a positive impact on searches for children who simply aren’t where they’re supposed to be when they should be there.
“We deal with it every year,” he said. “What we’re seeing is technology getting that information out there faster and easier. Everybody has that information in real time. It just catches like a wildfire.” Byram said in the most recent incident, the girl got off at the wrong bus stop and then decided to play at a friend’s house without notifying her parents.
