Tag Archives: swatting

Police Respond Swiftly To School Swatting Incident

Posted on December 13, 2024 | 3 comments

This afternoon, the Westport Police Department responded to a report received through the Veterans Suicide Hotline. It involved a threatening text allegedly targeting Greens Farms Elementary School.

The same threat was reported in several other towns in Connecticut.

GFS enacted a “shelter in place” order.

Officers conducted a thorough investigation, and determined that the threat was not valid.

Greens Farms Elementary School.

It is suspected to be a case of “swatting”: making a false report to emergency services, to cause a large-scale response.

Though the threat was unfounded, the WPD implemented several measures out of an abundance of caution. Officers were stationed at all schools in the district until dismissal to ensure the safety of students and staff, and provide reassurance to the community.

Westport Police say they “take all threats seriously, regardless of their validity, and will continue to work closely with local organizations, school administrators, and law enforcement partners to address these incidents and prevent disruptions to public safety.

“Swatting not only diverts critical emergency resources but also causes unnecessary fear and anxiety within the community.

“The safety and security of our community remain our highest priorities, and we appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our residents as we respond to these situations.”

Superintendent of School Thomas Scarice says, “I arrived at GFS shortly after the call was made, and was greeted by 6 officers, including the deputy chief.

“I want to recognize and thank the WPD for their rapid response, and I want to thank the administration and faculty of GFS for their responsive actions.”

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Superintendent Reassures Residents After Swatting Incident

Posted on October 3, 2024 | 5 comments

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice says:

Last evening the Westport Police Department was informed of the potential of an international group planning to send swatting calls nationwide to schools reporting that a shooter was in the school building.

The information was shared with chiefs of police statewide. The Connecticut State Police command staff was also notified. The information was described as very vague.

Given the (Rosh Hashanah) holiday, the WPD shared the information. We remained on standby in the event Westport received this potential swatting call. The WPD confirmed that a call was received identifying Staples High School with information similar to the warning last night.

As a precaution, a number of WPD officers were dispatched to Staples. They walked the building, particularly the bathrooms, the place identified in the swatting call.  The entire facility was cleared by the WPD.

Westport Police presence at Staples today, after the swatting call.

I have been in communication with Police Chief Foti Koskinsas. We agreed that an additional presence will be on, and near, our campuses tomorrow, all arriving well before school starts.

Fortunately, our effective partnership with the WPD enabled us to prepare well in advance for this potential report. Although the holiday made it easier with our schools largely empty, we did not soften our preparation, and the WPD communicated an assertive response once the actual call was received.

A swatting call is a false report to emergency services to prompt a strong police response to a specific address. The goal is to frighten, harass, or cause problems for the target.

I can assure the community that our strong safety protocols and continued partnership with the WPD provide a safe school environment for all of our students and staff.

 

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Westport Lockdown: Part Of Nationwide Rise In Fake Threats

Posted on October 21, 2022 | 4 comments

In the aftermath of this morning’s lockdown at Staples High School, and a “shelter in place” order at Bedford Middle School, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice provided this information:

This morning the Westport Police received a phone call indicating a potential threat at Staples High School. Although we have since learned that multiple schools across the state received the same threat, at the time, the response protocol warranted a thorough onsite evaluation of Staples, including an armed room by room threat assessment.

The incident began at 9:10 a.m. Westport’s Emergency Communications Center received a call from a person reporting an active shooter inside Staples High School.

The patrol and detective divisions as well as officers in administrative rolls immediately went to the school. As officers were responding they contacted the School Resource Officer, who said there was no indication of a problem at the location.

Despite the possibility of a hoax, the high school was placed on lockdown. Police proceeded as if there was an active threat.

Because police weapons were visible to students and staff, teachers were asked to focus on the social/emotional needs of students for the rest of the day. Emotional support was available for anyone who needed it.

Scarice added, “While this evaluation was conducted, all of the other schools in Westport were supported with an onsite police presence and put into place appropriate safety protocols.

“We are grateful for the swift response of our police department and the communication between the schools and WPD in handling this matter.

Nearly an hour after Staples High School went into lockdown this morning, an ambulance and police car sat outside the building. (Photo/Jim Honeycutt)

Connecticut is not the only state targeted for fake threats.

According to a Washington Post article last month — sent today to “06880” by reader Tracy Porosoff — “a troubling scenario” is happening in schools across the country. The story begins:

A call comes in about a shooting at the school. Someone has a gun. Police respond, only to discover the report was a hoax.

More than a dozen schools in Minnesota were targeted with “swatting” incidents, reports of a false shooter or mass-casualty event. Threats in Denver forced the city to shut down all 25 of its public library branches, and an area high school to cancel classes Wednesday amid a surge of hoaxes reported at schools across the state. A Texas teen was arrested for calling in a fake threat to a campus as a “joke,” prompting a warning from Fort Worth police against school hoaxes.

The calls are part of a trend that is disrupting school days, prompting lockdowns and further traumatizing communities already on edge. Although these threats are fake, the menace of real violence looms just months after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde, Tex., elementary school…

Schools in 14 states — Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia — have reported swatting incidents since Sept. 13, according to the national group of school resource officers.

Click here for the full Washington Post story.

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