Step.- To combat school threats in the El Paso area, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) El Paso Field Office, along with other law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, launched a public awareness campaign.
This work is intended to educate the public about the consequences of making threats of violence to schools and warn that law enforcement will be watching and taking such postings very seriously.
The digital billboard campaign installed at various strategic points in the city will be visible to the community from April to June, the authorities reported.
The joint action is aimed at making a continued effort to address the alarming increase in social media threats directed at schools attached to established school districts in El Paso County.
In total, 10 digital billboards began displaying the new PSA campaign calling on the public to “Stop threats to our schools before we respond” with a uniformed officer from each law enforcement agency protecting the El Paso County.
The billboards are located in the following areas: Zaragoza and George Dieter, facing south; Sunland Park and Doniphan; Dyer and Hercules; Lee Treviño and Rojas; Executive and Table; Alameda and Delta; Dyer and Diana; Montana and McRae and coming soon to Zaragosa and George Dieter, looking North and Viscount and I-10 (both starting April 24)
In 2022, nearly 6,000 school threats were reported to the FBI, which is a 60% increase over 2021.
Throughout El Paso, law enforcement is diverting resources to address a minimum of three threats a day from each school in region 19 school districts, it said.
Any member of the community can report threats to law enforcement in many ways, authorities said.
In the event of an immediate threat to life, call 911. The public can also download the El Paso PD app to text tips and receive alerts. The FBI can also get information at tips.fbi.gov or (915) 832-5000.
