High school target of bomb threat

VERNON-First it was one bomb threat. Now, it's an epidemic. Police and school officials said Tuesday that they have leads but have not apprehended anyone responsible for four bomb threats at township schools over the past two months. The latest in the series of threats came at Vernon Township High School Monday. Previous threats had struck Glen Meadow Middle School twice and Lousberry Hollow Middle School. "This is starting to get out of control," said Councilman Neil Desmond at Monday night's township council meeting, just hours after the high school incident. "This is a loss of time and a strain on township resources." School and public safety officials had been declaring "red alerts" and closing schools and sending students home after previous threats. In addition to lost instruction time, students must walk to a nearby primary school, where they have to wait for buses to take them home. The hubbub disrupts not just the affected school, but the school to which the students are evacuated. Some parents have reported that the scares are traumatic for students, especially younger ones. Meanwhile, township police are pulled away from regular patrols and other duties while the school is searched. It's more than a nuisance, officials say, it's expensive and detrimental to the educational process. With the heightened security levels nationwide since 9-11, officials have no choice but to take every threat seriously. "Collectively, the board of education and administration are very concerned about the bomb scare threats that have occurred in our schools over the past two months," said Thomas J. Papa, the vice president of the township's board of education. "In today‘s world, which is far different from even ten years ago, we need to take all necessary steps and precautions at all times, which include the evacuation of students and the sweeping of schools to insure the building is in fact safe." Monday, a "green alert" was declared, which called for evacuating the building, searching it with the help of dogs, then returning the students to class when no explosive device was found. "The threat level was deemed very low," said Anthony Macerino, superintendent of Vernon schools, of Monday's threat, which came at 11:08 a.m. After township police, assisted by the Sussex County Sheriff's Department Canine Unit, searched the school, the building was reopened at 11:08 a.m. and classes resumed. Students re-entered and instruction continued for the remainder of the day. According to Macerino there is no connection between this and any of the incidents that have occurred at Glen Meadow and Lounsberry Hollow middle schools. "Generally, such incidents generate some "copy-cat" activity and unfortunately, until the concept loses its popularity, and I believe, when students realize that they will not be sent home when these things occur, they will eventually stop," he said. To date, no one has been apprehended in any of the incidents, including Monday's. But the district and police are investigating various leads. "It's very difficult when you are dealing with threats written on a wall or notes dropped on the floor, but we are taking all possible steps to prevent these incidents, and we are investigating every lead," said Capt. Ken Kuzicki of the Vernon Police. "While I can not speak for the criminal consequences," said Macerino, "I can let you know that when and if a student or students are apprehended and found to have committed any of the threats, they will be given due process to explain their actions and likely face very significant school disciplinary action, including consideration for a lengthy out of school suspension." The district has in place emergency response plans that have been developed in conjunction with township police and are reviewed each time an emergency exists. Each school conducts regular Green and Red Alert drills with police present to insure that all potential scenarios are observed and responded to. None of the threats and evacuations of the past several weeks have involved an explosive device. The district and police say they have learned from each incident and are improving and refining their procedures.