NAMPA — National Asssociation of School Resource Officers suggest a more careful response to bomb threats that are almost always hoaxes. They suggest referring to SRO's more closely to prevent unnecessary responses.
- “When schools close or evacuate for a communicated threat that isn’t credible, the perpetrators get exactly what they want,” said NASRO executive director Mo Canady.
- Canady says students are often safer in their rooms than leaving the building.
- Canady says students are at greater risk evacuating through hallways lined with lockers where a bomb could be ticking.
(verbatim of story that aired below)
Bomb threats and shooting threats at school are an unfortunate part of life today. I'm senior reporter Roland Beres in Nampa and a national School Resource Officer group says it's time to reconsider how we respond to those threats that are most times a hoax.Last year there were nearly 350 school shootings nationwide and countless bomb threats.
And no one wants to take a chance that a threat might not be real.
But the national association of school resource officers says we may need to reevaluate our response … especially to bomb threats.
"There might not be a best answer for every scenario. But we need to think about the hazards of actually evacuating every time there's a bomb threat," said NASRO executive director Mo Canady.
There's been less than a handful of school bombings in the last 100 years.
The vast majority of bomb threats are hoaxes.
"Most bombers don't want you to know about their device," says Canady
But even if a bomb is real, depending on school construction, Canady says it might be better to shelter in place.
"Are we safer securing students behind those concrete block walls than we are having them walk down a hallway with all these thin metal lockers that could create quite a bit of shrapnel," questions Canady.
Local SRO's say a lot of how they respond to threats depends on the school.
"Ultimately it's their building and they're responsible for those children and their education," said Nampa SRO Sgt. Dallas Weaver.
And he agrees kids should not be removed from class unnecessarily.
"I'd rather see less of those, but we can't put a blanket solution on to every one of these threats. Real or fake," says Weaver.
Both Canady and Weaver say the best option schools have is to consult with an SRO immediately who can help determine if a real response is actually needed.
Making a false bomb threat is a federal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison, $250,000 fine, or both.
