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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The Colorado Springs Police Department has partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in an effort to bring more of them home safe.

Every year 800,000 children go missing in the United States, that is 2,000 children per day.

A startling number that law enforcement officials, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, are hoping to reduce by better training dispatchers at local 911 call centers.

Statistics show the first 24 hours a child is missing is the most crucial, as we saw in the recent Jessica Ridgeway tragedy in Colorado.

That is why officials said it is so important for dispatchers to be informed and educated, so they can obtain as much information as possible.

"The partnership was created to somewhat standardize the way emergency call takers process calls for service in regards to missing and exploited children," Renee Henshaw, CSPD's Dayside Communications Supervisor, said.

She said the Colorado Springs Police Department recently completed 400 hours of enhanced and specialized training to better prepare dispatchers for missing persons calls.

"It is a checklist that was created so we do not miss any information when we are processing these calls," Henshaw said.

The "best practices" checklist was put together by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which then created the 911 Call Center Partner Program.

"It really allows us to do some of the investigative work before patrol arrives on scene," Henshaw said.

Details such as where the child was last seen? What they were last wearing? Who they were with?

"It just makes sure that for every call that is received, it is processed the same way every time," Henshaw said.

She said it also makes sure nothing is missed as police officers work to determine what has happened to the child or teen.

Including 17-year-old Shelby Lane Morrison, who has been missing for a month.

His mom told FOX21 News she believes he is alive, and has just fallen in with the wrong crowd.

"We just want to make sure nothing drops through the cracks," Henshaw said.

Currently the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is encouraging all emergency call centers to become a partner, and obtain the skills and resources needed to best respond to missing persons calls.