Michigan school safety program reports record number of tips
OKAY2SAY allows people to confidentially report criminal activity and threatening behaviors directed toward students, schools, and staff.
Michigan’s official school safety program’s tip line reached its highest number of reports in 2023 since launching 10 years ago, according to a newly released report.
The OKAY2SAY program, which is housed within the Michigan State Police, was created as part of the 2013 Michigan Student Safety Act so that people could confidentially report criminal activities or threatening behaviors directed at Michigan students, schools or school employees through a 24-hour tip line.
The law was inspired by a 2004 joint U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education study on school violence that found that almost all perpetrators displayed concerning behavior beforehand and, in most incidents, someone other than the attacker knew about the plan and didn’t report it.
Michigan State Police said in a press release that the increase in OK2SAY tips has resulted in safer schools because it enables school officials and law enforcement to intervene early.
“The Michigan State Police is proud of the positive impact OK2SAY is having in improving safety within our schools,” MSP Director Col. James F. Grady II said. “OK2SAY is more than a hotline. It is a lifeline. The willingness of students to step up and speak out when they are concerned about their safety or the safety of another is making a profound and positive difference.”
In 2023, OK2SAY recorded 9,686 tips from individuals regarding 7,799 related incidents — 31% more than the previous year.
The tips span 30 categories, with the top five being: bullying (1,769 tips), suicide (1,482 tips), drugs (1,286 tips), sexual misconduct (815 tips), and violent threats toward an individual (741 tips).
Before receiving a tip through OKAY2SAY, 70% of school officials and law enforcement officers reported they were unaware of the problem.
Many investigations led to multiple forms of intervention, which may have included actions like notifying a parent or school counselors. The report highlighted that 24 tips involved the confiscation of a weapon.
In one example of an OK2SAY tip mentioned in the report, a student reportedly said they were going to commit a school shooting similar to the 2023 mass shooting at Michigan State University. An initial investigation was conducted and, once law enforcement secured a court order to confiscate the student’s phone and laptop, a forensic examiner found evidence including drawings, blueprints of the school and websites created by the student that documented other school shootings. A judge ultimately authorized the detainment of the student, and police removed firearms found in their house.
“As we see increasing reports of suicide, bullying, drugs, assault, and self-harm, we must keep investing in mental support for our kids,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Michigan’s OK2SAY program focuses on violence intervention and prevention to keep kids safe at home, at school, and in the community. We know that lives have been saved, school violence has been prevented, and many Michigan students have received the support they need because of the OK2SAY program.”
Since 2014, OK2SAY has received a total of 50,048 tips.
The OK2SAY tip line is available 24/7 and the public can submit tips in the following ways:
- Call: 8-555-OK2SAY (855-565-2729)
- Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)
- Email: [email protected]
- OK2SAY website: www.ok2say.com
- OK2SAY mobile app: Available for download in app stores for iPhone and Android.
