With school violence being a nationwide concern, the Safety and Risk Management department at ONC BOCES is emphasizing threat assessment awareness and providing training for our area schools.  We all have to work locally to decrease the likelihood of a violent act.

The local work starts with each of us and the people next to us. We can start first by being kind and caring individuals. Second, building relationships with those around us and committing acts of kindness so those close to us can pass on the kindness.
Building relationships allows us to be kind and lets us get to know those folks. Their likes and dislikes. Things that make them happy or sad and when they are in a good or bad mood. We can see changes in their mood or behavior that may indicate something is wrong and that they may need a helping hand. That they may be heading toward violence.

We all have to be able to see the clues that someone may be heading toward self-harm or harming others. And we cannot hesitate to reach out to them or someone else who can help.

“If You See Something, Say Something” is the best tool any of us have to reduce and hopefully eliminate targeted violence. Saying something allows us to protect others by preventing violent acts and also to help and support someone who may be planning to hurt themselves or someone else.