TACOMA, Wash — In the wake of several arrests of students for bringing guns to school, Tacoma Police Department is reminding families to "see something, say something." Meanwhile, gun safety advocates are encouraging parents to have conversations with their children about safety and about empowering positive change.
"We're really bringing the attention to this now because last month, we had quite a few incidents at schools where students had weapons on school grounds," said TPD Public Information Officer Wendy Haddow. "One of the instances was not a real gun but looked real and we're just reminding people to stay vigilant and reminding parents to talk with their kids so if kids see this during school time, it's reported when they see it."
That means calling 9-1-1 to report a threat, or sighting of a gun. Tacoma Public Schools posted guidance, along with information about recent security efforts, here.
"We're finding a lot of times, when kids are seeing guns at school, they're not notifying other staff, they're actually waiting until they get home and notifying their parents," Haddow said. "That's why we're asking parents to talk to kids about it and what their plan is going to be if they see something unsafe at school or witness threats or an assault, what are they going to do? A lot of times if they talk it out with their parents first, they don't have to grapple with those issues, while it's happening in front of them."
The Washington-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility said it "works to end the gun violence crisis in our community and to promote a culture of gun ownership that balances rights with responsibilities."
Education and Engagement Director Tremayne Edwards said it's important for parents to speak with their children both about gun safety- and about creating a safer culture overall.
"There's also the part of parents doing their part- safe storage, right, if you are a gun owner, having them locked away and unloaded so your kids also don't have access to those, and teaching the conversation of safe storage- the importance of that and how it keeps others alive and safe," Edwards said. "Also, how they can also be good stewards in the community of keeping each other safe."
Edwards said that after incidents like school shootings, parents should have the conversation about what happened, but they should also promote a focus on solutions.
"That's the end-all be-all of that conversation," Edwards said. "Safety, and making sure our kids believe in that safety, support that safety, and share it with their friends if they don't know."