Recent swatting incidents involving local schools have raised concerns for parents across Northumberland, with some families questioning delayed communication and visible police responses.
Cobourg Police Service Chief Paul VandeGraaf recently said schools remain safe places and that every threat is treated seriously, with investigators looking into incidents linked to possible online exploitation and extortion involving youth through social media, gaming and chat platforms.
Now, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board says its focus during any emergency is simple – student safety first.
Board Chair Paul Brown says there may be a delay in contacting parents but there’s a reason for that.
Brown says when police alert a school to a threat, schools move immediately into lockdown. Police then attend the building, secure the site and determine when it is safe to move to a hold and secure or resume normal operations.
He says communication with parents happens only after that immediate safety response is complete.
Brown says schools avoid using social media for emergency messaging because incomplete information can create more confusion and unnecessary fear.
Instead, each school follows a confidential emergency response plan using direct parent contact systems already in place.
He says schools regularly rehearse lockdowns and hold-and-secure procedures with students and staff, and work closely with police throughout the process.
Brown says parents should know that if a school was not safe, students would not be there and every decision made during these incidents is centred on keeping children protected.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
