DES MOINES, Iowa – Law enforcement agencies in Iowa have responded to or investigated nearly 200 threats against schools in the state since the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year.
KCCI reports that 122 of those reports of threats were received by Iowa’s anonymous online tip app, called Safe and Sound. Seventy-five of the tips were reported through other channels. Just in September, there were 101 reports on the Safe and Sound app.
Related Article: School Shooting Threats Continue to Skyrocket on Social Media After Apalachee Shooting
Safe and Sound is free to all K-12 schools in the state and is designed to “empower students, teachers, parents and community members to anonymously report school safety concerns and get students in crisis the help they need before it’s too late.” It is staffed 24-7 by trained communications specialists. The app quickly sends a confidential report to local school administrators, law enforcement, or other designated community partners for response.
The Governor’s School Safety Bureau said the anonymous tip app received about 300 reports last year about threats of violence, bullying, self-harm, and drug use, reports MSN. Any student, parent, staff member, or guardian can file a report via a 1-800 tip line, online, or on the Safe+Sound app.
The following video provides instructions on how to use the app:
