Intervention Tips for Law 

Enforcement Officers

For a complete description of the roles of law enforcement in

bullying prevention, see the fact sheet “Involvement of Law

Enforcement Officers in Bullying Prevention.”

Research your state laws

Even though your state may not have an antibullying law, there are usually many laws that are

applicable to dealing with bullying behaviors,

including theft, assault, battery, and extortion.

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional

and that involves an imbalance of power or

strength.

Complete the investigation before

contacting parents 

Complete a thorough investigation of a bullying

incident before contacting parents of involved

students. Contact the parents of the child who was

bullied and seek suggestions for reparation before

contacting the parents of the child who was bullying.

When speaking to the parent of the child who

bullied, make it clear that (1) you have conducted

an investigation that included getting their child’s

account of the incident, and (2) witnesses and

physical evidence clearly indicate that their child

was bullying. Stress that their child violated a

school rule, policy, or a law. 

Consider these factors before 

making arrests

Not all fights are the result of bullying situations,

but when they are, do not routinely arrest both

parties just because it appears that they were both

fighting. The child who is being bullied is most

likely not a willing participant. Boys who are bullied

are typically smaller and weaker than their peers

and may fear being hurt. Children who bully usually

have two or three supporters. Children who bully

and their supporters may lie about their behavior

and shift the blame to the child who was bullied

(Olweus, 1993).

Understand the effect of the Individual

Education Plan (IEP)

Students with an IEP who bully may not be

subjected to conventional school rules and

discipline. An IEP is a legal document and specifies

what consequences can be administered for

misbehavior. However, a student IEP does not

restrict the action of law enforcement officers. If a

law is violated and state law permits an arrest, that

student can be arrested. 

Discourage mediation of bullying incidents

• Bullying is a form of victimization, not conflict. It

is no more a “conflict” than are child abuse or

domestic violence.

• Mediating a bullying incident may send

inappropriate messages to the students who are

involved (such as, “You are both partly right and

partly wrong.” or “We need to work out this

conflict between you.”). The appropriate message

to the child who is bullied should be, “No one

deserves to be bullied and we are going to do

everything we can to stop it.” The message for

children who bully should be, “Your behavior is

inappropriate and must be stopped.”

• Mediation may further victimize a child who has

been bullied. It may be very upsetting for a child

who has been bullied to face his or her tormenter

in mediation.

• There is no evidence to indicate that conflict

resolution or peer mediation is effective in

stopping bullying.
These and other materials are available online at: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

References

Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. NY: Blackwell.