‘We have to treat them all the same’: Tehachapi police discuss recent social media threats toward school

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — School has only been back in session for about a month, but staff and law enforcement are working overtime to tackle the overwhelming number of recent threats to school campuses across Kern County.

School threats seem like they are popping up almost daily at Kern County schools. Many have been deemed not credible, but one threat lead to the arrest of a 12-year-old.

Rumored school threats have been circulating at schools in California City, Lamont, Bakersfield, and Tehachapi. All stemming from social media posts that were later found to not be credible by law enforcement.

Except for criminal threats that led to an arrest of a Tehachapi middle schooler Wednesday.

“In our opinion, they’re all potentially credible,” said Chief Richard Standridge, with the Tehachapi Police Department. “So, they’ll all be treated the same.”

Chief Standridge says the 12-year-old student made several threatening posts on Snapchat with an airsoft gun that looked like a real handgun, telling students not to go to school.

The student told law enforcement it was a joke.

“We see this all over the country and you know, some are jokes, but we know many are not,” said Chief Standridge.

Standridge says this is why it is critical for parents to monitor their children’s online activity.

“Monitor your children on social media, be aware of what they’re doing online…be aware of who they are associating with,” said Chief Standridge. “Be aware of what they think is funny and what they don’t. This is a concerted effort, it’s not just school administration, it’s not just law enforcement, this starts at home.”

Standridge says the department will continue to take these threats seriously to protect the students.

“This is not a joke, look at this instance, we had to arrest a 12-year-old child, that’s not something we want to do but unfortunately in today’s climate when we don’t know what’s fact from fiction, we have to treat them all the same,” said Chief Standridge.

As far as what charges that 12-year-old could face, that is in the hands of the District Attorney.

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