Local police are increasing safety measures and patrols at schools due to a rising number of threats, according to the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office.
Hillsdale County Sheriff Scott Hodshire said incidents occurred in Jonesville and Reading schools. Police officers found and stopped the students before any had the opportunity to act on the threats.
There was no connection among the cases, according to Hodshire, and schools immediately responded to the threats.
“The schools were very concerned, and, of course, the parents were concerned for their children’s safety.” Hodshire said, “The schools did a great job getting law enforcement involved right away.”
The Jonesville City Police department responded to the threats in Jonesville. Michigan State Police and the sheriff’s office responded to the remaining threats.
In one specific case at Hillsdale High School, a student wrote a threatening message on the wall of a boy’s bathroom, according to Mayor Adam Stockford.
“The threat was not acted upon, but there was swift action from the school and a just as swift reaction and investigation in the Hillsdale City Police Department,” Stockford said.
Due to these threats, local schools have increased caution and introduced several safety measures.
Hodshire said he dispatches deputies to Camden-Frontier, Waldron, Will Carleton Academy, North Adams-Jerome and Pittsford due to their lack of law-enforcement presence.
“We are definitely there in the mornings, and I encourage our deputies to stop by any of these schools if in the area,” Hodshire said.
Police hope to raise awareness among students about the importance of safety, according to Hodshire.
“I would like to get one of my deputies into the schools and speak to the students about the severity of these threats and the possible punishment they would incur,” Hodshire said. “This is not a ‘JOKE’ this is a serious threat that we as law enforcement take seriously.”
Stockford said he also hopes to expand safety awareness and measures in the city.
“At the city level, we’re looking at options to deal with the rise in school violence over the past few decades,” Stockford said. “Our police department is well trained in this aspect, very community-oriented and active in the field, and well-equipped to handle situations such as these, but we can always do better, and that’s the attitude that makes Hillsdale City Police Department the best in Michigan.”
Hillsdale Community Schools could not be reached for immediate comment at the time of publication.