False threats on rise at CCSD schools, police say
A rise in vague threats and rumors has affected schools nationwide, and the Clark County School District is no exception, officials said.
“Threats that have been found to be unsubstantiated and false,” CCSD Police Department Lt. Brian Zink said Tuesday. “I have no idea yet on the numbers and we are only in week 4 of the school year. We noticed an increase in (threats) last week.”
The increase prompted the district to email parents to raise their awareness of such threats and how they can disrupt learning.
“The Clark County School District is aware of some social media trends and rumors that can disrupt our campuses and the surrounding community,” the Tuesday email stated. “Please know that many school districts nationwide are currently experiencing similar vague threats.”
“CCSDPD wants to remind the community that we take all threats seriously and anyone found to be spreading false threats may be prosecuted in either the Clark County juvenile justice system and the Clark County Court System based on the age of the suspect,” Zink said in a text.
“We sometimes get social media threats that make reference to more than one school,” Zink said. “We investigate where the threat originated from and to verify if the threats are substantiated or not.”
The email asked parents to do the following:
— Talk to your children about the consequences of making threats to the school. All threats are taken seriously and will be addressed as outlined in the Clark County School District Pre-Kindergarten—Grade 12 Student Code of Conduct.
— Parents and students should refrain from sharing these vague posts on social media because doing that could create confusion and copycat posts. Students and parents instead can make reports through the SafeVoice reporting system by calling 1-833-216-SAFE (7233), or at safevoicenv.org or through the free downloadable phone app.
— Call CCSDPD dispatch at 702-799-5411 for immediate attention.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.