The following is an update on the series of phone threats made against schools in the Bethlehem Central School District between Sept. 10-12. Police officials have determined there is no imminent safety issue related to the series of calls. Read more:
At a private briefing this afternoon, Monday, Sept. 16, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and officers from the Bethlehem Police Department informed the school district they are investigating the recent series of phone threats against schools in the district as a “swatting” hoax.
Swatting is a deliberate and malicious act of reporting a false crime or emergency to produce an aggressive law enforcement response. The goal of swatting is to harass or menace the target, and the calls often involve reporting a fake crime like a shooting, hostage situation, or bomb threat.
While there has not been an arrest related to the case, the federal and local law enforcement officials assigned to the investigation have determined there is no imminent threat to Bethlehem schools related to the repeated calls received by police over the past week. At the briefing, both the FBI and Bethlehem police indicated the calls have featured several known indicators of a swatting hoax, and that the investigation is now focused outside of the Capital Region. According to law enforcement, there has been no evidence of a local connection between the caller and the school district.
“The department continues to aggressively investigate this case with crucial assistance from the FBI. At this point in the investigation, we do not have any intelligence to suggest these are credible threats,” said Bethlehem Police Department Chief Gina Cocchiara. “While we cannot get into specifics, we are confident the school and community are safe. We remain incredibly grateful to the community for their patience and cooperation during this difficult time. There is still more work to be done, but I want to reiterate that the entire department is working diligently to ensure the person or persons responsible are held accountable for their dangerously disturbing actions.”
The phone threats received by police, and targeting BCSD schools, have prompted heightened police presence in the school district and additional security protocols, including several days of districtwide lockouts and one lockdown, on September 11. Outdoor activities had been curtailed and school district buildings and grounds were closed over the weekend as a precautionary measure.
“The FBI and the police department requested a meeting today to assure my team, as well as staff, students and families that we can safely begin a return to normalcy,” said Superintendent Jody Monroe. “Given the level of concern, disruption and trauma this situation has caused, we will make every effort to return to normal operations with absolute care and caution.”
Superintendent Monroe said schools will continue to have an increased police presence this week. Afterschool activities, outdoor recess and physical education will resume, beginning tomorrow Tuesday, Sept. 17. Any additional updates will be communicated with staff and families via ParentSquare and the district website.
“We appreciate our community law enforcement partners for providing their guidance throughout this ordeal,” said Superintendent Monroe.