Exactly nine months after a lone shooter killed seven and injured almost 50 at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, the students at Highland Park High School were forced into lockdown due to reports of a student with a gun.
On a day where students organized to protest gun violence, the school received anonymous tips from various students who knew about or saw a student with a gun and acted quickly to lock down the school. Highland Park School District 113’s quick investigation of the anonymous tips as well as the swift actions of first responders prevented this incident from possibly turning into something worse as they were able to intervene before anything happened.
What Happened
Hundreds of Highland Park High School students had coincidentally just finished a walk-out in protest of gun violence and support of the banning of assault-style weapons. Shortly after students returned to class, the anonymous tips came in. Bruce Law, the district’s Superintendent said the district immediately reported the tips to law enforcement.
“When police advised going into lockdown to facilitate their investigation, our faculty and staff sprang into action to assist students. Students remained calm. Parents and guardians, understandably anxious for the all-clear, waited patiently for a safe resolution,” Law said.
Law enforcement successfully cleared the building, and five students were taken into custody in connection with the incident. Luckily, no shots were fired.
Anonymous Tip Lines Work
Data from the PEW Research Center shows that the number of schools with an anonymous threat-reporting system has more than doubled in the last 15 years. In 2008, just 31% of public schools had an anonymous tip line. In the most recent survey, 66% of public schools reported having one.
“Safety is our number one priority, and once again, it was because students who had critical information shared that information with school staff that the school and police were able to respond so quickly to the situation,” Law said.
According to a study conducted by the United States Secret Service, someone knows of a shooter’s plans in 4 out of 5 shootings, but fails to report it. This statistic is significant because it illustrates how the vast majority of shootings can realistically be prevented if someone reports their knowledge to the proper authorities, proving the necessity and importance of an anonymous tip line at your workplace or school.
Kokomo24/7® Can Help
Kokomo24/7® understands that each school and workplace have its own set of unique needs. We also recognize the power and importance of having a robust, yet easy-to-use anonymous reporting system to act as a violence prevention tool. Our anonymous tip line streamlines the complex task of both tracking and managing reported incidents, leading to a safer environment and better solutions.
Ever since Kokomo24/7® was founded in 2018, we have been a leader in compliance and risk management solutions for all things health and safety. Kokomo proudly serves schools, communities, and workplaces. Our mission is to deliver highly effective, easy-to-use, trusted compliance and risk management solutions that bridge the gap between public safety and technology.
Whether you work for a small school, a big-city public district, or any institution in between, we want to hear from you.
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