New safety tip line announced for Maryland schools

Image courtesy of MEMA

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Governor Larry Hogan has announced the launch of “Safe Schools Maryland”, a tip line and mobile app to assist in the reporting of possible threats to schools statewide.

The tip line allows students, family members, parents, teachers, administrators, and other community members to anonymously report information to trained technicians 24/7. These technicians will then share information with the appropriate personnel to help prevent potentially dangerous incidents at schools statewide.

In many recent school violence events, the aggressors have either displayed behavior signaling a potential for violence or mentioned it on social media. Several potential incidents have been prevented due to students, parents or others reporting suspicious behaviors to appropriate authorities.

“Sadly all too often students choose to remain silent because they are afraid of retaliation, rejection, or stigmatization by their peers. The troubling result is a ‘code of silence’ in which students suffer harm that could have been prevented if another person had chosen to speak out. We need to empower our students to break that ‘code of silence’. If they see unsafe situations or behavior, including threats made in person or on social media, bullying, or a friend who expresses the desire to hurt themselves or others, we need young Marylanders to say something and to do something without fear of retribution for coming forward”, said Governor Larry Hogan in a statement.

Information may reported through the mobile app, available through the Apple App Store or Google Play, online at www.SafeSchoolsMD.org, or by phone at 1-833-MD-B-SAFE (1-833-632-7233).