Jan 13, 2009 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Students Urged To Text In Tips To School District
Students Can Text District About Potential Threats Anonymously
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
In the wake of several incidents of students being caught with guns on school grounds and the deadly shooting at Dillard High School last year, the Broward County Public School District has come up with an innovative way for students to anonymously report any potentially dangerous situation to school officials.
Students will now send anonymous tips via text message from any cell phone. "Just like in Crimestoppers, when somebody reports a Crimestopper's (tip), you're guaranteed to be anonymous," said Dr. Joe Melita of Broward County Schools. "It's the same thing here."
The school district has begun using TipSoft software which is designed specifically to permit informants to remain anonymous by encrypting the text messages and routing them through several secure servers.
The TipSoft SMS will also allow school officials or law enforcement to respond by text message to the originating cell phone without identifying the individual who left the tip. Once a tip is sent in, the software assigns the sender an alias. This will allow the tipster and the investigator to have a two-way dialog while always keeping the tipster's identity anonymous.
Tips are received in real time at the Districts Emergency Hotline Desk, and information is routed to law enforcement personnel, as appropriate.
Students seem very receptive to the idea. "Usually with me, I text more than I'm on the phone, " said Dillard High Student Raschaud Williams. "I wouldn't call, but I would text, said Shabril Williams. "I wouldn't give my name of nothing like that." She likes the idea that there is no way the call can come back to her.
The "Anonymous Tip Via Text Messaging" program is open to anyone who may have information regarding illegal activity on school grounds including the sale and/or distribution of drugs, weapons, violence, vandalism, theft, unusual student behavior, or information about crimes that are being planned.
All text messages must begin with
SBBC [space] followed by the message and sent to
CRIMES or
274637.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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