Can police get involved?

[Rainbow Dash]

I always wondered if a child/teenager was getting bullied in school and the teachers done little could the police get involved? Obviously if the bullies were threatening with violence (or were being violent) then the police would get involved. What about verbal bullying? What if it got to the point where the child/teenager didn't want to go to school anymore because of it? or was suicidal?

I just always wondered

[DarkSeph]

If the bullies are using violence, especially excessive violence then I'm pretty sure the police could be involved since it's technically physical assault. Of course it's a little uncertain who would actually get in trouble. The bully? Or the teachers from not taking appropriate action and ignoring the situation?

Verbal abuse is a little more difficult. Unfortunately I doubt the police would get involved for name calling or insults. However things like death threats or other serious threats could involve the police if the victim had proof. And such things can happen rather a lot in schools.

Still, I'm just guessing, but that's my basic understanding on it.

[BullyPreventionScheme]

Yeah, i'm thinking mr.Sephiroth (assuming thats the idea of your name... although not sure how its possible to get a dark Sephiroth since he was evil in the first place but.... uuhh... *trails off* this is too long to be in brackets) is right, but you can always ask the police for the details on it. That should give you the answers you need.

OH!! maybe people can be reported for verbal abuse. Because cyber bullying isn't psyhical and thats punishable by the police.
You should try asking, or find their website.

-BPS

[TheLittleNinja]

Yeah, We've had the police brought into our school a few times before I left to deal with bullying via text messages or msn messenger. Schools are generally very good with dealing with things - there is always at least one teacher who will take action for you. If someone is refused help though, then they should just reach higher and higher until they get the help they need - if that means talking to the police, then bring the police on board.

[Pour the Teapot]

yes. serious bullying can definitly involve the police. and it should. because if the teachers aren't doing anything then someone needs to.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Anytime it's violence, especially serious injury, police can be brought in right away.

For verbal bullying, the police can be brought in depending what is said. Issuing death threats is illegal as is hate crime. Unfortunately, there's a very big problem: the evidence. If you allege that I said death threats or hate crimes to you, then you must give evidence of what I have said because if you fail to, I can turn around and have you charge with false arrest. If my threats are written on paper or e-mails, then the argument I can try is it was verbal abuse but not death threats nor hate crime in the context or wording. For example, if it said "I'ma kill you asshole" but in the context it was used in a joking way where you kind of understood the joke, then it's not illegal from what I know. Unfortunately, the argument I can use against you is "why didn't you leave if you didn't like what I was saying?" because all you'd need is one click. If you recorded what I said but weren't that offended, some of your arguments will go down the shitter.

If you have my voice recorded because during a fight or confrontation I issued the verbal abuse, you may be in deeper shit than I will be because depending on the areas, I can charge you for recording my voice without my permission and/or invasion of privacy. If this is successful, then that evidence is inadmissable for you charging me because it was obtained illegally against my will and knowledge, but of course I can use it against you in charging you very easily. The same goes with video recordings.

However, if the school has audio and video recordings and my threats were picked up on those, if those are legal, then I'm in shit and my only argument can be arguing what I said don't constitute death threats or hate crime. Or, depending on my age, I may be exempt and have to do community hours or something similar but it'd have to be severe enough.

If you turned out to be suicidal, then if charges went through to court, you could also file for charging me with "emotional damages" but nothing more. The court may order you to go into treatment at your or my expense (for a kid, the parent's expense).

Anytime the police do get brought in for abuse on school grounds, there's the instant questioning of the effectiveness of the teachers who were supposed to ensure schools are a safe and friendly learning environment.

[MichWolverineFreak]

In the US you can. Im not sure about the UK though.

[Angeal]

I'm pretty sure the police can get involved. One of the main reasons is is that your life could be in danger.

[Singing to the starlight]

Report it all in a small book. Places, times and what was said. If things continue and get quite bad, the person can be done for abuse or threatening behaviour, depending on what they are saying.

[Guile]

Nope, in the United States (and thank God for it) we posses the freedom of speech, meaning we can say anything (excluding defemation, commercial speech, and obscenity) meaning bullying, hate speech, racism, sexism, and such are all perfectly legal to say. Now death threats are different, but for pure verbal bullying you may utter all the curse words, insults, and profanity you want at someone. The police may not get involved as mere words alone (except the above noted) do not qualify as a crime. Verbal bullying is perfectly legal inthe United States.

[Rise]

When ever "bullying is envolved, the police can get involved, althougth, it's against the law which becomes the polices buisness. if the victim of bullying goes to the cops, the cops can arrest the bullies under harassment.