As students across Tennessee begin a new school year, state safety officials are reminding families, educators and community members about a free tool designed to help identify potential threats before they escalate.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is encouraging residents to use SafeTN, a confidential reporting app that allows students, parents, school employees and members of the public to report concerns involving school and community safety.
Through SafeTN, users can anonymously report suspicious behavior, potential threats, planned violence and other safety concerns 24 hours a day. Reports can be submitted through the mobile app using a compatible device.
State officials say trained analysts with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security review and assess submissions and forward information to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, school administrators or mental health crisis response teams when intervention is necessary.
The goal is to encourage early reporting when someone sees or hears something that could indicate a threat to students, school employees or others in the community.
Among the concerns that can be reported through SafeTN are threats of violence, assault, sexual misconduct, planned attacks, physical harm to oneself or others, and statements or behavior suggesting that someone intends to commit an act of violence. Officials emphasize that reports do not have to come from students.
Teachers, school employees, parents and other community members can also submit information anonymously. The renewed emphasis on SafeTN comes as schools across the state return to regular classroom schedules and officials work to promote awareness and early intervention as part of broader school safety efforts.
The Department of Safety and Homeland Security says anonymous reporting can be particularly useful because students and others may sometimes have information about troubling behavior but may be reluctant to report it if they believe their identities will become known.
SafeTN provides what the department describes as a secure communications platform for sharing those concerns while also providing access to school and community safety resources.
The SafeTN mobile app is free to download and use.
More information about SafeTN, including instructions for downloading the app, is available through the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
