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Buckner Police Use School Safety Tactical Operations 3. The school environment affected some bystanders' willingness to disclose information. The bystanders who came forward described a positive environment between school staff and students, while those who were reluctant anticipated punishment and negativity for revealing information. 4. Bystanders were reluctant to report threats as many believed the attacker had no intentions because threats were made repeatedly over long periods of time with no action; the threats were so extreme that it was unbelievable; and the attackers' threats were often viewed as a joke. 5. Many bystanders did not consider the threats to be immediate and felt they had time to make decisions about reporting. 6. Parents influenced a bystander's decision to report threats. Of the reports made, many were influenced by their parents because they were taught it was the right thing to do, whereas those who did not report described a "mind your own business" parental influence. "As a community, the most important thing we can improve on is our willingness to be involved. We have to be willing to step in because we can't always predict an attack," Cook said. "It is necessary to talk to our children and educate them," Clancy said. "We can't always tell them the world is a great place because bad things exist. It is better to be honest with them and to prepare them." The state-wide school violence hotline is 1.866.748.7047, or at www.schoolviolencehotline.com. The Buckner Police Department also encourages individuals to report their concerns, and assures the information provided is confidential and taken seriously. The police department is giving away locks to families who have guns at no charge. Call 816.650.3939. Continued from Page 1 fully equipped and prepared to handle an active shooter as the first responder. Additionally, they have the equipment needed to diffuse an active shooter. However, the details will not be disclosed. Police Major Heather Clancy believes a contributing factor to mass shootings is the increase in violence. "Our military and police forces go through hours of training to develop a desensitization to enable them to react quickly," she said. "The younger generations are becoming desensitized from the beginning of their lives. That is frightening." The police department believes another contributing factor is the lack of involvement within communities. "So many people are scared to become involved and scared of the backlash from reporting," Cook said. "It's unfortunate we live in a society where 25 neighbors will call the police on you for a loose dog, but you can assault your spouse in the front yard and no one will call. We see it all the time," Clancy added. The SSI program has also addressed this problem and called for action nationwide. Missouri responded by setting up a school violence hotline where tips can be left anonymously. "Unfortunately, in most shooter situations, the offender has a radical mindset and are willing to trade their life for their purpose, whatever that purpose might be," Cook said. The majority of mass shootings end with the offender's death as a result of suicide, or a fatal injury from law enforcement. This contributes to the difficult nature of identifying motives. Federally funded programs, such as the SSI, have conducted several studies to identify early warning signs and compare similarities between targeted attacks. A recent study uncovered six key factors: 1. There are varied relationships between the attacker and "bystanders" (individuals involved in violence without taking part in violent acts). Regardless of the relationship, the majority of bystanders learned about violent threats or plan details days before the incident, or up to a year prior. 2. Reports of violent threats and possible attacks varied. Some bystanders came forth willingly, others after being interrogated, and some failed to report any information prior to attacks.