January Safe2Tell report shows school complaints as the top reported category for the first time in the program’s history

Feb. 13, 2024 (DENVER) – In January, Colorado students showcased swift and proactive action in safeguarding their friends and classmates, as evidenced by the Safe2Tell monthly report released today. Also notable, school complaints emerged as the predominant category for the first time in the program’s history, with 248 reports filed.

“I commend Colorado students for their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of their peers,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Safe2Tell plays a pivotal role in empowering students to speak up and take action against threats, fostering a culture of accountability and support in our schools.”

January 2024 saw the report volume for the 2023-2024 school year rise to 14,825, an increase from the 10,766 reports at the same point in the 2022-2023 school year. The program received 2,387 reports in January, a similar volume to the 2,394 reports received in December 2023. Behind school complaints, top categories of reports included suicide (224) and bullying (219).

School complaints is a complex category about issues within the school itself and is most often related to school security, staff, student conflict, and the school community.

As Safe2Tell Director, Stacey Jenkins, further explains, “Within this category, we sometimes see clear incidents of other report categories, like bullying and child abuse, or even misuse of the system with weather related reports about icy roads. However, Safe2Tell data is only as good as what’s entered into our system, and we make ongoing efforts to promptly rectify any misclassified information and update our training as needed.”

In this school year, false reports are 3.7% of all reports submitted to Safe2Tell. False reports are those that contain untrue information and are submitted with the intent to harm, injure, or bully another person.

Some further details about the incidents outlined in this month’s report:

• A person reported their friends were being verbally and physically abused by another student. School teams investigated and spoke with the individuals involved, which resulted in the student’s parents being notified, a restorative conversation, and a suspension.
• A person reported a student flashing a knife to other students. Local teams investigated and the School Resource Officer found a weapon on the student. School disciplinary action was taken.

Safe2Tell is a successful violence intervention and prevention program for students to anonymously report threats to their own, and others’, safety. Safe2Tell is not an emergency response unit nor mental health counseling service provider; it is an information pathway for distributing anonymous reports to local law enforcement and school officials pursuant to state law.

To make a report, individuals can call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere, at any time. Reports also can be made at Safe2Tell.org, by texting S2TCO to 738477, or through the Safe2Tell mobile app which is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

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Media Contact:
Mallory Boyce
Communications Specialist
720-508-6787 (office) | 720-219-1898 (cell)
Mallory.Boyce@coag.gov