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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2008 > February > 29
Friday, February 29, 2008
Text messages you should make your kids get
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When something like the Virginia Tech shooting occurs, the aftermath involves a detailed investigation of all the elements leading up to the incident. Hopefully, changes will take place to shore up what went wrong.
For instance, after the Colombine shootings, many police tactical strategies changed in “active-shooter” scenarios. If you remember, the tactical team waited outside the building before going in. Most teams now train for immediate entry to find the shooter or shooters as soon as possible. Going back to Virginia Tech, one of the major problems involved the notification process, to the students, to lock down or evacuate. They believed the first incident was final but soon learned the shooter was on the move again and as a result, more students were killed.
Since that time, many universities have offered a text-notification system, available to all students, to allow them access to information, warning them of a critical event. You would think, given that most teens live on text-messaging and cell phone communication, would find this a natural fit but it seems the sign ups for these services are surprisingly slow. I believe that people, maybe younger people specifically, simply don’t realize this stuff could happen. It can. It does.
How hard would it be to sign up for a text warning? I don’t even know how it works but if you have kids living in dorms in whatever college they’re in, I would insure that if this service is offered, you sign them up. Don’t ask them to sign up. Require it. It’s not hard. Here’s what you say:
“I want you to be signed up for the campus early warning system by tomorrow when you come back home with that U-Haul full of your laundry.”
“Nothing’s going to happen.”
“Do it or Monday I cut off the phone!”
“You got it!”
If this service isn’t offered because maybe the school doesn’t want to project the image that something could happen, then make some noise and get things changed.
More than ever before, people seem to be right on the edge. Road rage, domestic violence, hell, even fights on aisle 3 over the store being out of number 4 cone coffee filters have occurred.
There are tons of folks here who have kids in college. I can tell by your tattered clothing and dazed looks. Give yourself some peace of mind. Look into this and if it’s offered, make sure those kids get signed up. Don’t put it off and don’t leave it up to them—at least not without a deadline. Be firm, remember, you have the advantage. Those are your washing machines and dryers. They need you.
