Nassau County schools see rise in threats; police work to reassure families

NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. (PIX11) — Schools in Nassau County are experiencing increased threats this year.

Now – the county executive and the police commissioner are speaking out, assuring parents and students they are on top of the problem.

Nassau County Police say there have been 80 threats against schools since the beginning of the school year. All of them were unfounded.

Last year, there were 23.

On Tuesday, the police commissioner showed off the intelligence center that deals with the threats. He says the department is prepared and all officers have access to a sledgehammer, tactical gear, and defibrillators in their vehicles.

Most schools also have access to a panic button.

Nassau County Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder says, “The Rave app bypasses 911 in the case of a shooting and goes straight to the supervisor’s desk so that dispatches the cops quicker.”

The commissioner also assures residents that schools are equipped to deal with potential danger.

“We’ve assessed those school buildings. We’ve helped them equip their levels with equipment such as a man trap. You come through the front door. You get buzzed in. You’re trapped between the first and the second door and they have bulletproof glass.”

The threats are coming locally, around the county, and from overseas.

Officials say parents need to remind their kids that making a threat is not a joke.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says, “I’m coming back to this school, and I’m going to shoot it up. A kid could say that out of frustration, out of anger he could say it thinking he is kidding around, we take it seriously and it’s a crime.”

Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale has received 11 threats in the last month alone. They include bomb threats as well as threats of kids with firearms.

13-year-old Jackson Perry is a student at the school. He has been on alert for the past month.

Sometimes he’s even been worried about coming to school. “It was very scary,” said Perry. “We weren’t told much, just heard rumors. Just heard there were shootings and bombs and no one really knew.”

As a result, his mother Shannon pulled him out of class 3 times in September.

Shannon Perry says, “I’d rather him be home and do school work from home until everything is worked out. I don’t understand why we’re getting the threats and of course, it’s terrifying.”

As for Jackson Perry, he’s comfortable going back to school, for now.

Perry says, “There’s been a lot of cops and less rumors about all this. Less news so it’s been fine the last few days but if it happens again I’ll be scared.”

As for Kellenberg Memorial High School, there have been no arrests but the Nassau County Police says it’s believed one person is responsible for all 11 threats.

Officials say they expect to provide an update by the end of the week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.