SafeOregon tip line is growing, but organizers want to reach more students
Thursday, May 25, 2017
SafeOregon, a confidential tip line designed to prevent tragedies, has enrolled 260 schools since its launch in January.
The safety line is only available to students of schools that have signed up, currently reaching about 110,000 students. Organizers would like the tip line, a resource for students who are afraid or don’t know where to turn, to cover all Oregon’s public K-12 schools
The service is free for schools, but they must sign up at www.SafeOregon.com.
Students can anonymously reach trained staff 24 hours a day to share anything that threatens their safety or the safety of others, such as fights, drugs, alcohol, bullying, harassment or suicidal thoughts. The staff then contacts the appropriate school, community or law enforcement authorities. SafeOregon is designed to intervene at the earliest possible point, to give help and protection before the situation gets worse.
Tips can be submitted through the www.SafeOregon.com web portal, by email to tip@safeoregon.com, through the SafeOregon mobile application (available for Android or iOS devices), or by calling or texting 844-472-3367.
"To all Oregon students, I want to encourage you to make courageous decisions to break the code of silence and speak out against harmful behaviors before they turn to tragedy," said Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton in a news release.
Recommendations from the Oregon Task Force on School Safety led to SafeOregon, which is run by OSP.