Safe2Tell reports increase 26% in February

Updated school safety legal manual now available

March 14, 2023 (DENVER) — Safe2Tell report volume increased 26% last month when compared to January, according to the monthly report released today. The Department of Law also today released an updated school safety legal manual, which expands the previous version to include updated best practices for schools.

In February, the Safe2Tell program received 2,365 reports. Suicide threats (308), bullying (229), and school complaints (212) were among the top categories of reports. To date for the 2022-2023 school year, Safe2Tell has received 13,131 reports.

“While we typically see an increase in reports in months when schools are not on winter or summer breaks, we also recognize that winter and early spring can be a challenging time for mental health, and the continued suicide threats and bullying reported to Safe2Tell is a message to Coloradans to remain vigilant,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “We are at our best when we work together. Our school communities are committed to keeping students safe, and we will continue to update best practices and be available through Safe2Tell should an urgent safety need arise.”

In this school year, false reports are 2.4% 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.

In February, anonymous reports to Safe2Tell from students and other individuals successfully helped protect students’ safety. For example:

• A person reported that a student threatened to harm another student at their school. School teams investigated and spoke with both students, and found the student was joking with their friend. School teams had a conversation with the student about the impact their words can have.
• A person reported that a student took an excessive number of pills because they were depressed. Local teams notified the parents, conducted a welfare check, and transported the student to the hospital.

To continue its work to help keep youth in Colorado safe, the Department of Law updated its school safety legal manual, which was initially developed in 1999 in response to the Columbine shooting to assist schools in addressing school violence issues. It has been updated periodically since its initial release. The new edition expands on the important work of past manuals by including a focus on behavioral and mental health issues and prevention. The manual includes helpful information for schools, law enforcement, and other local school safety partners, including the role Safe2Tell plays in prevention.

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 or through the Safe2Tell mobile app which is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

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