Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in 2018

Ohio Governor Signs Executive Order to Create School Safety Center

The center aims to increase the use of an anonymous tipline, review school emergency management plans and host an annual safety summit, among other priorities.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • August 23, 2019

In a move he hopes will decrease violence in schools, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Wednesday to create the Ohio School Safety Center.

The new initiative will have a staff of seven people and work within the state’s department of public safety to develop more security resources for schools, staff and students. The center will offer free risk and threat assessments to schools in addition to addressing some of DeWine’s other priorities, including the increased use of a centralized tipline.

“Having one office where the staff solely focuses on keeping our students safe and our schools secure, will allow analysts to nimbly assess threats, proactively address potential issues, and expertly train and support school faculty in a more streamlined manner,” DeWine said in a statement.

According to the governor’s office, the center’s staff will focus on:

  • Promoting and expanding the use of Ohio’s Safer School Helpline, which responds to anonymous reports of school safety concerns and passes those tips to law enforcement
  • Conducting more thorough monitoring of online platforms and social media for threats of school violence
  • Reviewing emergency management plans and providing threat assessment training to schools
  • Hosting an annual summit for public safety and mental health professionals to share best practices and resources with school leaders
  • Consolidating all school safety resources and upcoming training dates on the center’s website

DeWine’s executive order also created the Ohio School Safety Working Group. The group of experts on public safety, education, mental health and emergency management will meet quarterly to discuss current campus security trends and help develop a yearly report on the state of school safety in Ohio.

The governor said that the new center is part of his 17-point plan to reduce gun violence and increase mental health treatment for Ohioans. DeWine released the plan shortly after nine people were killed by a gunman in a Dayton entertainment district earlier this month.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

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