OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska -- The 55th Security Forces Squadron is teaming with four Sarpy County law enforcement agencies to help keep local schools safe.
A new initiative called TIPS, which stands for threat assessment, incident management and prevention services, was launched recently that will empower community members of all ages, particularly youth, to report concerning behaviors.
“We have a tremendous relationship with all of the local law enforcement agencies in the area and this is just another way we’re teaming with them to ensure our schools remain safe,” said Tech. Sgt. Clinton Pattison, NCO in charge of the 55th SFS S2 fusion cell. “The goal of the TIPS program is to capture the information that students often have but don't share.”
A recent study from the U.S. Secret Service found that students who carry out acts of violence in schools usually plan out the attacks in visible ways in advance. It’s the hope of these agencies that TIPS will help stop these individuals before they can act.
“Just having a system in place like this will deter some people, but obviously we’re going to be relying on students to share any behavior that’s outside the norm,” Pattison said.
The new system will be used in all schools and government agencies throughout Sarpy County. This includes the Bellevue, Gretna, Papillion-La Vista, and Springfield-Platteview school districts and the Sarpy County Sheriff, La Vista Police, Papillion Police, Bellevue Police as well as the 55th SFS.
The TIPS reporting tool can be accessed through a hyperlink located on the homepage of many law enforcement and school websites.
“We’re anxious to see how the system works and are proud to have such community partners that care about the safety of our youth,” Pattison said. “Our goal is for the students to be able to go to school and learn without fear of violence.”
Even with TIPS in place, students should still call 911 in case of emergencies.