On March 7, a Vancouver Island high school student was arrested after a social media post showed them firing a weapon into a small target with the caption, 鈥減ractising for school.鈥�
Six days earlier in 91原创, a letter was sent home from the school district after a threat posted on social media by a student created fear among students and their parents.
The threat 鈥� and the rumours that followed 鈥� prompted the 91原创 School District to send a letter to parents asking them to contact the RCMP before taking to social media to discuss any threats they learn about online.
In the letter, 91原创 School District assistant superintendent Mal Gill reminded families that rumours on social media tend to spread misinformation and hinder police investigations.
鈥淭hey often only serve to instill fear and panic,鈥� Gill wrote, urging parents and students to bring concerns directly to police.
There seems to be a sense of heightened awareness locally since the Feb. 14 school shooting in Florida, where 17 people lost their lives, said 91原创 School District spokesperson Ken Hoff. While Canada is a very different country than the US, with a far different gun culture, what happens there can often generate an emotional response here, he said.
鈥淎nytime there is an incident of that nature, it creates tension for everyone. We are fortunate in Canada that it is not something we often have to deal with, but the tragedy still does make parents nervous and concerned,鈥� he added.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the contagion effect,鈥� said 91原创 RCMP Const. Craig van Herk, who investigated the most recent school threat on social media, which he said was blown out of proportion and tied up police resources.
In the end, it was determined that no threat had been made against any school, he said.
Procedures Reviewed
91原创 School District doesn鈥檛 have any plans to change or increase security and safety measures now in place. However, meetings are being held to review what is working and what could be improved upon.
There are no plans to lock front doors at schools or hire security, both common practice in some American cities.
Hoff pointed out that each school currently has a police resource officer.
鈥淧olice are on site a lot. Their role is quite different than a general duty officer. They are very much a part of the school community, to act as a safe resource for students, a familiar face and a person of trust,鈥� said Hoff.
鈥淭he kids get to know them and there is a relationship there.鈥�
91原创 RCMP have recently been dealing with the challenges social media can present for police while they are trying to do their job, said Cpl. Holly Largy.
91原创 Mounties met with school principals and district officials on March 7 to discuss the up-tick of incidents that have started as a result of posts on social media.
鈥淭he meeting we had was to re-establish our relationship in handling emergencies and threats and to make sure we are on the same page,鈥� said Hoff.
鈥淲e work together in things like lockdowns and defer to their (police) expertise, but we also want to look at offering a united front around informing parents and providing substantial working information.鈥�
Staying SAFE
Police and schools work together using the SAFE (School Action For Emergency) program.
The school district practises SAFE regularly and the police are part of those drills. The school district held a drill during the first week of March, said Hoff.
A lockdown occurs when a threat results in students and staff being held inside the school, with no one allowed to enter or leave the building.
Often during a lockdown prompted by a perceived threat, students inside the school will text family and friends, and post to social media in real time.
But the information can be exaggerated and incorrect, or, like the telephone game, gets misconstrued as it is filtered from person to person, said police.
Now, with the immediacy of social media, police have to filter through conjecture and rumour while trying to locate the actual threat, if any exists.
鈥淒uring a lockdown we expect to have significant parent concerns.
鈥淧art of our actual Safe Schools response addresses a physical location for parents who attend to go (away from the scene),鈥� said Largy.
鈥淭here are protocols in place to get necessary information out, but safety (is prioritized) over convenience, and need to know versus nice to know.鈥�
Lockdown at BSS
In November 2017, a code red lockdown (immediate and imminent threat to school) at Brookswood Secondary caused panic when police were told a person had been seen carrying a gun in a field near the school.
Armed with that information, police arrived in full force at the school, including officers with high powered assault rifles.
As events unfolded, rampant speculation spread through social media.
鈥淎t this point in time, there is no evidence to indicate an armed individual entered the school and there have been no reports of injuries or violent acts,鈥� said 91原创 RCMP Supt. Murray Power on the day of the lockdown.
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Incident at Stafford
In May 2017, a code red lock down at H.D. Stafford Middle School prompted a heavy police response after a teen who didn鈥檛 attend the school made a general threat towards Stafford.
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It鈥檚 situations like this that RCMP and the school district are studying to determine what worked and what can be improved upon.
Each situation has to be treated as serious until proven otherwise, said police.
For the most part, 91原创 parents have been supportive of the RCMP鈥檚 response to these threats, or perceived threats.
Police said they are well trained on how to react, but they are mindful of parents鈥� concerns for their children, Largy said.
鈥淲e are doing our best to clear any threats as safely and efficiently as possible,鈥� said police.
鈥淭hose in direct threat (are attended to) first, (while) communicating with others away from the threat when we can. We will get information out as soon as we can.
Calling and asking will not speed the process up.
鈥淭rust us, trust our training and please don鈥檛 add fuel by posting on social media until after.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 an actual threat, the least amount of information the 鈥榯hreat鈥� has access to the better.
鈥淵ou never know when the info in your post will actually put those in the lockdown at risk.鈥�
monique@langleytimes.com
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