Police look into school threats

School officials learned about two threats last week, one made at the middle school and the other at the high school, in what police and school officials ultimately determined to be non-credible remarks made by students.

“While these matters have become all too commonplace in our society, it is of the utmost importance that we take these threats seriously, as the health and safety of our students and staff is our first priority,” Schools Superintendent David Weiss wrote in an email to parents.

According to the email, on Wednesday, Feb. 6, a high school student made a verbal threat after school hours. The Nassau County Police Department conducted an investigation and found no validity to the threat, according to school officials and a Police Department spokesman, Det. Vincent Garcia.

The email also said that on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 7, a middle school student noticed a written threat on a wall in the boys’ bathroom. The student reported the threat to school officials, who immediately contacted police. Following an investigation, police deemed the threat non-credible.

Police and school officials did not disclose what was said in the threats. “The individuals responsible for both of the aforementioned threats have been identified and the appropriate disciplinary actions are being taken,” Weiss wrote.

Weiss called the incident at the middle school “innocuous,” and said that it was handled “routinely and internally.” The call to the police was simply a matter of protocol, he explained, and the incident was handled within a half an hour. He explained that the threat was “nothing significant or out of the ordinary.”

The incidents in Long Beach come shortly after the district outlined its student safety protocols at the Jan. 22 Board of Education meeting. School officials detailed how they maintain students’ physical safety while at school. They utilize an on-site security staff, as well as collaboration with local police, among other measures.

“Please know that the district works very closely with local law officials routinely and every precaution is taken on a daily basis to protect the safety of our students and staff, and to provide a secure learning environment for all,” Weiss said in the email.