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Thanks to responsible students who approached adults they trusted in school, three handguns were removed from two Memphis public schools in September.
Two incidents occurred at Havenview Middle School and one at Overton High School.
It was nearing the middle school’s dismissal time — 2:30 in the afternoon on Monday, September 12 — when two students advised a security officer that another
student was in possession of a gun. He was approached and the 9 mm Smith & Wesson was found in his hoodie chest pocket. The gun had six rounds in its maga-zine and the serial number had been scratched off.
The student was subsequently expelled from school for 180 days and was transported to juvenile court. The gun was confiscated, and tagged in the Memphis Police property/evidence room.
Two days later a student at the same school informed an English teacher that someone in the classroom had a handgun. The student was taken to the principal’s office where a .380 Ruger was found in his pants. The gun belonged to the student’s mother. He too was expelled for 180 days and taken to juvenile court.
The week before those two middle school guns were found, a principal at
Overton was told that a student was showing a gun in school. A lock-down began at10:42 on a Friday morning.
The student was found in the gym. In his book bag was a 9 mm Philippines
handgun loaded with 15 rounds in a clip and one bullet in the chamber. A Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy took possession of the gun and the student was given expulsion and taken to juvenile court.
In each case, a Trust Pays award of $200 was paid to the students revealing
the gun danger.
The three guns confiscated in September brought to 212 the number of guns
removed from schools by the program over 16 year.
Giving good students a pathway
to revealing dangerous activities
Question: What exactly is Trust Pays?
Answer: Trust Pays is a program operated by CrimeStoppers for Memphis
and Shelby County area elementary, middle, junior and high schools. It is a way for good students to confidentially reveal information they possess to adults they trust about serious situations in school.
Weapons, drugs, thefts, and more.
The program, began by CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County in
2006, is that simple. Read the answers to a full list of frequently asked questions on the new Trust Pays website here.
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