While a card with 10 black smudges on it can be an important safety precaution for children, it isn’t the only choice parents have to protect them.

“Fingerprints are fine, but if there is an abduction you want as many ways possible to identify the child,” Michigan State Police Sgt. Greg Jones said.

Jones, coordinator of Michigan’s Missing Children Information Clearinghouse, said DNA samples are the new technology.

“There are many DNA kits parents can buy either in stores or on the Internet,” he said. “However, I’d be skeptical of the ones online unless they are certified by the national center for lost and missing children.”

Parents also can keep a few of their children’s hair follicles with roots in a clean envelope in case it is needed for identification, Jones said.

Lansing resident Kathi Debean said she tells parents to take five to 10 hair follicles from their child’s pillowcase and tape it to the back of their fingerprint cards.

“It’s important in case the child turns up missing,” she said. “It provides faster closure and identification. It can also lead a trail to the child.”

Debean works as part of a volunteer fingerprinting team as an extension of the Lansing Police Department.

The police passed the duty to Debean and five other volunteers about four years ago.

“I think the community is more receptive to other community members than police officers,” said Lansing police Officer Robert Tucker.

Debean said the team will be holding a fingerprinting session Saturday on the Capitol’s lawn.

Jones said in addition to fingerprinting, parents should keep a current school picture that clearly shows the child’s face and shoulders.

It is also useful to have a mold of the child’s teeth, Jones said.

“Parents can also simply sterilize the Styrofoam from a hamburger container, have the child bite down on it and they’ve got a teeth mold that doesn’t cost them a dime,” he said.

Jones also said parents should know information about where and with whom their children play and be able to give a detailed description of them.

“If you want to ensure your child’s safety you should know your child,” he said. “In the case of a lost or abducted child, parents should do anything and everything to find their child and assist us.”