BCA introduces app to provide tips on threats of violence at schools, places of worship

(ABC 6 NEWS) – Minnesotans have a new way to provide information about suspected criminal activity regarding threats of violence at schools and places of worship.

The Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is announcing an app — See It, Say It, Send It — for the public to provide tips about planned or threatened violence at these locations.

The BCA will triage the tips, notify local law enforcement and assist as needed with the response to criminal activity.

In doing this, the BCA will be working with the Minnesota School Safety Center, the Minnesota Department of Education and with schools to determine the appropriate response to any tips that aren’t about criminal activity.

The app can also be used to report threats or planned violence at places of worship. The BCA will notify police and coordinate with religious facility leadership on a response.

The BCA says to always call 911 or text 911 first when reporting ongoing incidents and immediate threats. The new app is not intended to replace local police or an existing school or religious facility security plan, but rather supplement it.

A statewide approach can bring a better understanding of incidents that may involve more than one facility.

"A statewide approach can bring a better understanding of incidents that may involve more than one facility," BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. "For example, a local law enforcement agency responding to a threat at a school may not be aware of a similar threat to a school two counties away."

The BCA received funding for the app from a Bureau of Justice Apprehension (BJA) STOP School Violence program. BJA is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.