November 1, 2024
In September, iWatchTexas recorded 204 school safety reports, which is more than double the number of tips it received in the month of September in previous years.
More states, school districts, cities, and counties across the nation are adopting school safety anonymous tip lines, and in many cases, the programs are receiving a record number of reports.
Texas is just the latest state to say it has received a record number of school safety-related tips to its version of an anonymous tip program, called iWatch Texas. For the month of September 2024, the program recorded a total of 204 school safety related reports, a majority of them involving concerning behaviors such as threats or the possibility of planned attacks centered around school campuses.
The September 2024 figure is more than double compared to previous years. In 2023, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) received 89 school safety related reports during the month of September, and in 2022, a total of 63.
DPS’ Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division (ICT) attributes the record setting numbers of tips to heightened public awareness of both the iWatchTexas program and the importance of being vigilant—particularly when it comes to schools.
The iWatchTexas program is a community-based reporting system designed to help Texans confidentially alert authorities to suspicious activities that may indicate criminal terroristic threats and school safety threats, according to a DPS press release. Reports submitted by citizens are reviewed by trained analysts who work closely with local, state and federal authorities to assess potential threats and take action when necessary. DPS claims that from suspicious activities in schools to unusual behaviors in public spaces, the information provided through iWatchTexas has led to timely interventions.
Read the full article by Robin Hattersley