BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – The state of Wisconsin has seen a continuous increase in missing person reports resulting in local law enforcement agencies taking the time to educate the community about these reports and ways residents can help during these cases.

In accordance with the month of April being Missing Persons Awareness Month in the Badger state, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office held its annual Missing Persons Awareness event Saturday as a way to help raise awareness and prevention in the community.

During the event, attendees got to meet with search and rescue teams as well as the K-9 units that are actively helping locate missing people.

In addition, guests also took a glimpse at actual missing persons files as a way to raise awareness for those who are still missing across the state.

Advocates told Local 5 that this event is a way for people to learn about what goes into law enforcement efforts when working on missing persons cases as well as what the public can do to help find answers to these cases.

“We do this because there are so many families with missing loved ones. We do it to support them and we do it to raise awareness in our community… I had no idea how many people were missing in the state of Wisconsin and at that time the number was much smaller than what it is now. I think awareness is getting people to talk about it and getting information out there and realizing the public is a huge key in bringing answers to families,” shared Missing Persons Advocate, Marsha Loritz.