In many schools, a culture of silence is reinforced among students who will not report safety concerns to trusted adults because it is viewed as snitching, or they’re afraid of rejection, retaliation, and stigmatization. Research indicates that in 81% of violent incidents in U.S. schools, someone other than the attacker had knowledge of the attacker’s plan but failed to report it. That is why the Attorney General’s Office has partnered with several groups across the state to create the student safety initiative known as OK2SAY.

 

OK2SAY is a confidential reporting system specifically designed to help students or anyone report potential harm or criminal activity directed at school students, school employees, and schools. Anyone that knows about a student safety threat can submit a tip to OK2SAY program operators by phone, text message, email, mobile app, or via the OK2SAY website.

 

Tips can be submitted to OK2SAY 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Multimedia attachments will also be accepted. Specially trained operators hired and supervised by the Michigan State Police (MSP) will receive the initial tips and filter the information to the proper parties necessary to effectuate a timely and effective response.

 

The tip is fielded first at the MSP headquarters and then forwarded to the appropriate responding agency. It is expected that most tips will be sent to the school and local law enforcement, but tips may also go to the Department of Human Services and Community Mental Health services programs.

 

Once a tip has been forwarded, each responding agency will be asked to complete a simple outcome report detailing the nature of the tip, how the tip was handled, and whether it was completely resolved or requires ongoing attention. This information will be made available as part of an annual public report completed by the Attorney General’s Office.

 

Other states have successfully implemented similar student safety programs, including:

• Colorado: Program has documented and resolved 284 planned school attacks, 320 gun/weapon reports, 469 sexual offenses, 1,323 planned suicides, and 2,207 bullying instances. 
• Missouri: Key successes include tip submission through downloadable mobile app. Program fielded 1,000+ reports in 2011, and 80% of law enforcement surveyed believe the hotline promotes cooperation between law enforcement agencies and school officials.