This program provides students an opportunity to report anonymous information regarding fellow students who are in possession of any type of a weapon or who have threatened violence against a person or a school. Students are provided the toll-free number 1-877-4R-SAFETY (1-877-477-2338) that dials directly to a private line in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. The student may leave a confidential message on an answering machine with the pertinent information. If this results in the confiscation of a weapon or apprehension of a culpable student, this Office will reward said caller $50.00 for any weapon and $200.00 for a handgun.

SAFE SCHOOLS was created in 1995 and has proven so successful that it is being expanded to cover all the school districts within Onondaga County. To date, over 125 weapons have been removed from our city schools via this invaluable program.