Report page 71

Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), • State Probation Office, • School resource officers, • School districts, • Community mental health providers, and • Involuntary mental health intake facilities.

When the Secret Service published research on averted school attack plots, the study affirmed that targeted violence is preventable when communities identify warning signs and intervene.

In nearly every averted school plot examined, tragedy was prevented by members of the community coming forward when they observed behaviors that elicited concern.

Bystander reporting is paramount to the success of the BTAU and should be the focus of community outreach efforts.

Public messaging campaigns should reach various community members with clear messaging about what concerns to report and how.

Billboards and posters in high-traffic and public areas can help to promote the simple message of reporting safety concerns to a centralized place.

A dedicated website can provide more detailed information about the BTAU’s role and can reiterate to the public the unit’s primary objective of violence prevention through early intervention, not criminal prosecution.

One example of public messaging is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign. This is a national campaign with the mission to raise public awareness around recognizing signs of suspicious activity that may indicate a potential nexus to terrorism, as well as how to report this activity to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

For this campaign, DHS creates and disseminates public outreach materials, co-brands materials with partners, releases public service announcements, and develops strategic partnerships with public and private organizations who help amplify the message in their communities.

Fostering a climate of trust is equally vital to bystander reporting. Research shows that trust influences a bystander’s willingness to report threats.

When the public perceives law enforcement as fair, transparent, and respectful, they are more trusting of the process and more willing to offer information that could help.