As students in Tennessee return to the rhythm of school bells and bus routes, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security is leaning into the digital age to ramp up collective vigilance. In an effort to tighten school safety, the state has put technology front and center with the SafeTN app.
The app, a discreet whistle-blower in the pocket of anyone inclined to signal alarm, can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play, and now, citizens can also ring in concerns via other avenues, phone calls, emails and an online form is where threats can be shared directly with the Office of Homeland Security Threat Assessment Center, the aim is getting people to become part of the safety solution according to a recent announcement obtained by the state website.
Deputy Commissioner Greg Mays made it clear, “When you see something, we encourage you to say something so that we can do something.” This mantra is part of a push to enlist everyday Tennesseans in preempting potential tragedies. Whether through the app or the additional reporting methods, all tips are vetted around the clock, seven days a week by specialists stationed at the Threat Assessment Center.
The center plays coordinator, sieving through incoming tips before looping in local Homeland Security agents, police, mental health professionals, school administrators, to orchestrate appropriate follow-up and possibly head off incidents that could range from bullying to planned attacks, the crux is in the quick, collaborative response as the Threat Assessment Center shuttles between analysis and action with tight coordination across various agencies and stakeholders.
