By Amanda Baumfeld
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
WEST COVINA, Calif. — Sparked by an incident in which students failed to report that their classmates plotted to open fire on classmates during a school assembly, the police department created a tip line for text and Internet messages.
Officials say the system is the first of its kind in Los Angeles County.
The program comes in response to a May incident where two Covina High School students brought guns to school several times.
The teens lived in West Covina.
In August they were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, grand theft, possession of a firearm by a minor and possession of a firearm at a school.
Police Chief Frank Wills said he was “taken aback” that teens in the neighboring city’s high school did not tell adults the guns were on campus.
“We know that young people prefer texting - even e-mail is old technology to young people,” Wills said. “We were really surprised after Covina High School. So many students were aware that there were loaded weapons on campus and not one went to teachers or a trusted administrator, they said nothing.”
While the two teens were found guilty, police officials are always looking for ways to increase campus safety.
With the TIPWCPD program teens will remain anonymous and can instantly communicate with a dispatcher via text or Internet messages.
Students with tips can text 847411, or use the link on the police department’s Web site to send an instant message.
“A lot of young people aren’t comfortable picking up the phone to make a report,” Wills said. “Kids see stuff going on all the time: graffiti, fights, guns, drugs. This gives them instant communication with a dispatcher where we can guarantee anonymity.”
Even a search warrant will not be able to reveal the source of the message, officials said.
Covina police are working on text line scheduled to be up and running by Dec. 14, officials there said.
Local school districts are already taking to the program.
Officials at Covina High School have helped spread the word and they even have their own anonymous tipline on campus, according to Principal Claudia Karnoski.
“The more the merrier,” Karnoski said. “Anything we can do to help prevent these things from happening.”
Students at West Covina Unified School District were given flyers on the program. The school’s Web site also has a notification for the program, according to Superintendent Liliam Castillo.
“I was in shock about Covina High School and that students would not turn in that information,” Castillo said. “There is such pressure not to tell on anyone that any way to communicate in a anonymous way is very helpful.”
Police have already seen results.
Within the last few weeks police have received about 20 text messages, some of which have turned into active investigations, Wills said.
Copyright 2009 San Gabriel Valley Tribune