BUCKEYE, AZ (September 19, 2024): Buckeye police were invited this week to speak to parents at a school safety forum hosted by the Liberty School District. During the forum, Chief Bob Sanders addressed questions and concerns about campus safety amid a recent wave of school threats circulating on social media. We thank the school officials, law enforcement partners and dedicated families participating in this important and ongoing discussion.

The Buckeye Police Department takes every threat against our schools seriously. These investigations evolve rapidly to determine whether a threat is credible or not. It is our priority to keep campuses safe and secure. To hold offenders accountable, we need your help in reporting school threats directly to law enforcement. Do not repost them!

Below is a list of frequently asked questions about school threat investigations and how you can help:

How is a school threat determined to be credible or not?

Every threat made against a school, whether spoken, written or posted online, is investigated as a credible threat until proven otherwise. During the rapidly evolving investigation, officers conduct interviews and gather information from school officials. If/when a suspect is identified, officers work to immediately track down the individual to assess the suspect’s culpability or intention, access to weapons to carry out a violent threat, mental health or cognitive disability, criminal history and other factors.

What are the consequences of making school threats?

If an investigation determines a juvenile suspect made threats against a school, they are arrested and booked into jail on felony charges. Charges can include disorderly conduct and disrupting an educational institution. Additionally, the school may take action to suspend or expel the student.

What is the role of a School Resource Officer?

Buckeye Police SROs are assigned to schools across the city to provide safety support including providing traffic control during student pick up and drop off, teaching students about social media dangers and bullying, responding to emergency calls near campus and investigating crimes like school threats. All are certified through the National Association of School Resource Officers and trained on the NASRO Triad Model of law enforcement officer, informal counselor/mentor and public safety educator. When a tip comes in about a school threat on social media, SROs work through the night and into the morning to investigate, contacting witnesses and tracking down suspects. They coordinate with TLOs and advise school officials of campus safety measures.

What is ACTIC and how does it help keep our schools safe?

The Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center is a joint effort between local law enforcement, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Homeland Security and the FBI that is operational 24/7 providing intelligence, investigative and technical support for public safety. In terms of school threats, ACTIC will alert local law enforcement agencies about tips or information that requires investigation.

What is a TLO?

A Terror/Threat Liaison Officer is an officer specially trained in threat assessment and cyber investigations. Some Buckeye police officers are TLOs that have access to advanced tools and resources to research IP addresses and phone information to track online activity. For school threat investigations, TLOs can use their skills to help determine the source of a threat and the person responsible for making the threat.

How does the Buckeye Police Department train to respond to school threats on campus?

Buckeye police refer to a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) using the “I love u guys” model. This SRP covers different phases of a campus crisis: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. Training involves collaboration with school partners, tabletop exercises, drills and regular review of best practices to ensure campus safety even as school sites may change over time. Buckeye police also train on active shooter and mass casualty scenarios.

Report, Don’t Repost

A coordinated message campaign involving the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and valley law enforcement agencies with the goal of preventing teen violence. If you see a school threat online, report it, don’t repost it. This goes for students and parents. Sharing social media threats makes it harder for investigators to track down the origin and person responsible for making the threat. To report a school threat, call the Buckeye Police Department non-emergency line at 623-386-4421 or submit a tip online at www.buckeyeaz.gov/crimetip. Our online tip portal also allows you to provide screen shots of the threat.