A free SaferOH tip line has been offered to all Ohio schools at the request of Gov. John Kasich, the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Within 24 hours of it announcement on Dec. 15 more than 200 schools and districts responded.
Ledgemont School District in Geauga County and Saints Robert and William Catholic School in Euclid are among them.
‘The safety of our boys and girls remains the top priority of our schools,’ said Superintendent of Public Instruction Richard A. Ross. ‘The SaferOH tip line provides another resource for schools and school districts in their continuing efforts to provide a safe and secure educational environment.’
The tip line allows students and adults to anonymously share information with school officials and law enforcement about threats to student safety – whether that involves a threatened mass incident or harm to a single student, according to a state Department of Education news release.
Department Spokesman John Charlton noted that such reports could include bullying and potential suicides.
He added that a terrorism tip line, already in place, has been expanded to include the new service.
Research shows that in 81 percent of violent incidents in U.S. schools, someone other than the attacker knew something was occurring or was about to occur but failed to report it. Often the reason is the person who knew something was in fear of being labeled an informant or becoming the target of the attacker or bully.
Although school safety analysts may ask for additional information, every tip may remain anonymous.
Calls or texts to 844-SaferOH are answered by analysts in the Ohio Homeland Security’s Threat Assessment and Prevention Unit. When action is called for, the TAP Unit immediately forwards information to local school officials, law enforcement agencies and others, if necessary.
‘The assurance that their calls cannot be traced and that serious, proper action will be taken to end the threat is helping to persuade young people to take a stand against school violence,’ the news release stated.
Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, said the Ohio departments of Education and Public Safety are to be commended for initiating the endeavor.
‘Tip lines are a positive and proactive way to support safe schools for all children,’ Stephens said. ‘They acknowledge the key roles that students and community members play in promoting safe schools.
‘Public awareness of tip lines can also provide a deterrent effect that may preclude acts of crime and violence from occurring by providing an early warning notice to responsible adults, linking victims or potential victims with a network of protective services to support the safety of all children and those professionals who serve them.’
Schools can sign up for the free tip line at saferschools.ohio.gov.
