Suffolk YouTube push against bullies

Suffolk County officials want to convince youths to stop "glorifying" violence by posting videos of fights to online sites like YouTube. And they want them to call or text police anonymously to alert them to posted videos, anticipated fights, and areas where inappropriate activities take place.

Standing with county officials, educators and community leaders Monday at the county offices in Hauppauge, County Executive Steve Levy announced a "YouTube Initiative" and program to counter youth violence, bullying and cyberbullying. "We're getting the word out to students they have to be proactive in getting the word out to us," he said. "If we do nothing but change attitudes, it will have been a success. It's got to be uncool." The campaign would be a "multifaceted" effort to change attitudes toward violence, with a "focus on YouTube, where hostility and aggression are inappropriately being glorified."

Among other recent incidents, a fight last month outside Half Hollow Hills East High School in Melville was filmed and posted to the popular site. It resulted in suspensions for the two in the fight and those who watched but failed to report it.

Levy said schools could impose consequences even though the police may not have the legal power to get the videos removed. The police already monitor online postings for illegal activity, and will formalize their monitoring of YouTube.

Levy likened the initiative to the increasingly successful anti-smoking and drunken driving campaigns, and said, "We want to shame people, we want to educate people. It's not acceptable to ruin people's reputations."

Anonymous reports to police can be phoned in at 800- 220-TIPS or texted to "274637" (CRIMES). Links to violent video clips posted online should be forwarded to crimestoppers @suffolkcountyny.gov. Those that show illegal conduct will be investigated by the local police.

"These kids should understand there's no privacy in any of this. You can end up in court," said county police Commissioner Richard Dormer.

The Suffolk County Family Violence Prevention Task Force is also part of the campaign, as a clearinghouse for information on bullying, and on school prevention programs. One approach calls for so-called "climate control" student groups to point out problem areas to school officials where incidents may go undetected. Other points in the campaign call for stepped-up educational outreach by the police department on Internet safety, violence and cyberbullying.

Among those supporting the Levy initiative was Franklin Caesar, principal of the Central Islip Senior High School, who said, "If we do not attack the problem as a community, the problem will never go away." Arguments conducted via texts, YouTube and social media, he added, often spill over into the school.