Oklahoma State Department of Education School Safety and Security Office Expansion

The Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act Program (SSV Program) furthers the Department of Justice’s mission by supporting and assisting state, local, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions efforts to reduce violent crime through the creation of school threat assessment teams, the use of technology for anonymously reporting suspicious activity as it relates to violence in schools, and by supporting the creation and enhancement of State School Safety Centers in K-12 schools.

The objective of Category 8 is to increase school safety by creating or supporting a State School Safety Center (SSSC). According to the National Crime Prevention Council, “although some [SSSCs] are more active than others, they share a common mission: to provide school districts and staff, parents, and students with training, tools, and technical assistance to enhance the safety and security of America’s schools.” (https://www.ncpc.org/programs/be-safe-and-sound-in-school/state-school-…) Centers may also develop, review, and disseminate school safety resources to local school divisions and law enforcement, facilitate school safety audits, provide technical assistance, and develop partnerships to promote school safety.

CA/NCF