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Last Updated: September 29, 1994
Safe School Hotline 222-HELP launched
Caddo Parish Sheriff Don Hathaway today launched 222-HELP, a "safe school hotline for Caddo Parish students."
Joining forces with Pat Ellis, president of the Caddo District Parent-Teacher Assn., and Dr. Terry Terril, Caddo Parish superintendent of schools, the sheriff pointed to drugs, guns and violence in schools as one of the most serious problems for law enforcement agencies and one that must be faced head-on immediately.
"This safe school hotline isn't a cure-all for the problems we're seeing in our schools today," Hathaway said, "but it is a start and will serve as a springboard for other initiatives to rid Caddo Parish campuses of crime, guns and drugs."
The hotline campaign was launched today in a school board complex news conference where Hathaway unveiled a poster to promote the program. The posters will be displayed in all Caddo Parish Public Schools and any private schools that wish to participate. Businesses and other locations where young people gather are also invited to display a poster and encourage students to use the hotline.
Besides the posters, billboard signs are being printed and will go up in 15 locations throughout the parish. Lamar Advertising is donating the billboard space to promote the program. Lamar Advertising Vice President Chip LaBorde said the signs should be in place by the middle of October.
"Our children are our most precious resource and they are our future," PTA President Ellis said. "Some of those young people will never make it unless we stop the senseless acts of violence we have seen in our schools. It is time for parents to get angry, take our schools back and let those who would do it know that we won't tolerate violent acts against our children or our schools."
Ellis is also chairing an ad hoc committee that is addressing the issue of school violence. The 23-member committee comprises PTA presidents, school principals, school system administrators and law enforcement officials. Ellis said her committee is looking into other ways to promote the 222-HELP safe school hotline.
"The schools cannot solve this problem without cooperative efforts such as this hotline," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Terry Terril said. "When Sheriff Hathaway offered to operate the hotline, we saw that we were forming the kind of vital partnerships that are needed to address this critical issue. We intend to move forward quickly with other cooperative initiatives to rid our schools of violence, drugs and guns so our students can concentrate on getting the kind of quality education they need to be successful leaders of the future."
"The safe school hotline is an opportunity for students to help make their schools safe," the superintendent continued. "We know that in this day and time, drugs, gangs and weapons have changed neighborhoods and schools. The hotline is a chance for students to reclaim both neighborhood and school safety."
In outlining the operation of the 222-HELP hotline, Hathaway emphasized that calls made to it are completely confidential. "No names, no caller ID and no call tracing," the sheriff stated firmly. "In fact, the only person who will ever hear the message left by a student will be the Caddo Parish Sheriff's deputy who takes the information off the voice mail recorder. After the information is written down, the message itself is erased."
Hathaway said deputies in his Criminal Investigations Division will check frequently for messages on the hotline. The program gives students the option of dialing a code to have a deputy notified immediately, and a student may also leave his or her name and number to have a deputy call back.
Students' messages will be processed by sheriff's investigators and the information received will be forwarded to appropriate law enforcement and school officials for action.
To obtain a poster to display in your school or place of business, stop by the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Public Information Department, Room 921 in the Slattery Building at 509 Marshall Street, or call 226-6678.
September 1, 1995
News Release
Safe School Hotline 222-Help Active
Caddo Parish Sheriff Don Hathaway along with Caddo District Parent-Teacher Assn. President, Pat Ellis, advises students and parents that the Safe School Hotline is active and ready for use.
Sheriff Hathaway reminds everyone that the Hotline is not a cure-all for the problems we're seeing in our schools today. It is, however, an instrument that can be used to assist schools and law enforcement agencies in ridding Caddo Parish campuses of crime, guns, drugs, and facilitate other school initiatives as well.
The Safe School Hotline, which was implemented last year, provides students with an opportunity to help make their schools safe. Students need not only use the Hotline for school related problems, but may also use the Hotline to report neighborhood problems.
Hotline calls are confidential. You do not have to give your name, there is no caller ID and no tracing. Additionally, no one knows of your conversation but the officer retrieving the message from the recorder. Once the message is retrieved, the tape is erased. If you desire, however, you may leave your name and telephone number to receive a return. The caller has an option to put in a code and have a deputy notified immediately, also. The Sheriff's investigator who retrieves the information forwards it to proper law enforcement and school officials for action.
Signs with the Hotline telephone number and other information is locate in all Caddo Parish public school and private schools who wish to participate.