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1999 was a difficult year for school aged children as several tragic incidents increased concerns regarding violence in schools nationwide.
According to an October report for the Las Vegas based Nevada Institute on Children, violent behavior increased at the middle school level and the need for continued prevention efforts at all levels became emphatically clear.
Throughout the year, the importance of Secret Witness as a part of those prevention efforts was apparent. One of the most significant incidents occurred in late October 1999 when a Secret Witness tip led to the arrest of a Mendive Middle School eight-grader who admitted to making threats to go on a school wide killing spree. Police found a knife on the student and a subsequent search uncovered three more knives and a hatchet hidden in some bushes near the school.
Although it was a difficult decision by the Board of Directors to take Secret Witness to the middle school level, Secret Witness has proved itself a valuable tool in giving students an avenue for participating in violence prevention, while remaining anonymous. Earlier in 1999, School Secret Witness awarded $500 to a tipster who gave information leading to the arrest of teenagers who had been calling bomb threats into local high schools.
The School Secret Witness number is (775) 329-6666. Or, you can dial '202' from any SBC payphone for free.
"The school Secret Witness program has been an invaluable aid to us in our efforts to keep the Washoe County Schools safe. Most of the information we receive about weapons, vandalism, drugs and other incidents comes from the students themselves, often through Secret Witness. Principals and School Police officers have done a terrific job of creating a climate where students feel safe in coming forward with information. But, when they are uncomfortable in doing so, Secret Witness is there." - Jim Hager, Washoe County School Superintendent on the importance of Secret Witness in our schools.
Parent Patrol (775) 673-4872 - Offers parents a way to get involved in their safety of their children. Volunteers needed.
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