![]() “The response of our staff, students, and the Alamosa Police Department was swift and prompt,” said Superintendent Diana Jones. The lockdown at Ortega Middle School was lifted “within five minutes, and all schools were placed on hold,” after officers found no evidence of a threat, the district’s statement said. The district placed all other schools in the district on a security hold while police investigated. The caller reported “a threat of an armed individual at Ortega Middle School,” the statement said.Īlamosa Police responded to school grounds. The Alamosa School District placed Ortega Middle School on lockdown, according to the city, after the local police dispatch center received a call from an “unknown number” at 8:24 a.m., according to a district statement on Facebook. The fact that it's happening sort of in a structured, organized way, to me, would tend to indicate that these are actors who are doing it on purpose to achieve those ends of weaponizing those fears against us.” Alamosa School District It undermines people's sense of safety in our schools. “ It undermines people's faith in our institutions. “It is weaponizing our fear of active shooter against us,” said Amanda Klinger, director of operation at the Educator’s School Safety Network. The false calls also keep officers from responding to other calls and increase anxiety among students and teachers. It increases the risk to those officers and, and, and other drivers out on the roadways.” “There’s an emergency response from the local law enforcement agency, which means we're coming in with lights and siren and a little quicker than normal. “These false alarms of active assailants on school campuses are not a harmless prank,” said Mo Canady, executive director of NASRO. The motive for these continued attacks, however, is uncertain, but they appear to be intended to cause mass panic, according to the National Association of School Resource Officers. The perpetrator often attacks groups of schools in the same state on the same day. Most of the attacks, especially those that occur in clusters, appear to be perpetrated by someone overseas. It reports a 600 percent increase in the last four years.Īn NPR analysis last year found schools in 28 states were targeted by the same individual. There have been 317 false reports of violence in schools around the country so far this school year, according to the Educator’s School Safety Network, which tracks incidents. There has been a surge in swatting calls targeting schools across the country over the past couple of years. They appear to be intended to draw an armed police response which may include a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team. “Swatting” refers to a hoax call placed to 911 that falsely reports an emergency such as an armed intruder, active shooting or bomb threat. A phrase often associated with a lockdown is "locks, lights, out of sight." A lockdown occurs when there is a threat inside or outside the school. No one is allowed in or out of the building. All activities and operations are stopped. This is sometimes referred to as a "lockout."Ī lockdown means classroom doors are locked in addition to exterior doors. A school might be placed in secure mode when there is a potential risk or threat in the area. For schools with locked door policies, the only difference is the no exit or entry procedure. Classroom teaching and activities continue as normal. Secure mode – or a secure – means a school locks its exterior doors and does not allow any person in or out of the building. What is the difference between a lockdown and secure mode? Here’s what we know about the large number of school safety incidents on Wednesday. ![]() “We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity or individuals to law enforcement immediately.” “It is important to note that law enforcement will use all available resources to investigate a threat until we determine whether it is real or not,” the FBI said. FBI, local law enforcement and school districts have said they believe the threats across the state were coordinated. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver office and local law enforcement agencies said they were continuing to investigate the source of the calls. “Our State Watch Center staff continue to monitor and communicate with local law enforcement to coordinate information related to today's school incidents,” the office said. So far, none of the threats have been deemed credible, according to Colorado’s statewide Office of Emergency Management. Some lockdowns were lifted in a matter of minutes. ![]() The list of impacted districts spanned across the state, from Boulder to Englewood to Aspen. Schools in at least a dozen Colorado districts went on temporary lockdown or secure mode early Wednesday after receiving a spate of phone threats from unidentified sources. This story was originally published by Colorado Public Radio on February 22, 2023. ![]()
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