Law enforcement speaks out about recent school threats, how it affects agencies

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — School threats from social media have increased across the Costal Empire since the Apalachee shooting.

These threats aren’t just affecting students, staff and parents, but law enforcement too.

Manpower and Resources are the backbone that keeps law enforcement agencies running. Captain Gary Murphy, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said at any time a part of that can be taken away to assist with an incident.

“Any time they ask, or we are in the area, and we see that they need our assistance, we are going to respond to help,” Murphy said.

CCSO assist other agencies when it is needed, helping any way they can. For example, they assisted the Board of Education Police Department (BEPD) when Myers Middle School and Windsor Forest High School received a threat on Tuesday.

“When we respond to a school threat, the officers that work the street here, they don’t do their normal job which is serve all the paperwork that the courts generate,” Murphy said. “So, they have to stop doing that and respond wherever they are needed.”

Depending on the threat, they may have to deploy even more officers from different municipalities.

“We have a joint SWAT team between the sheriff’s office and the county police,” said Murphy. “Now, some of the local municipalities are on the SWAT team. So, you have people coming from the sheriff’s office, the county police, and local municipalities that respond.”

He wants individuals to know that they should not treat school threats as a prank as it takes boots off the ground in areas that may need actual assistance.

After the school shooting incident in Winder, Georgia, at least 20 counties in the state of Georgia have dealt with school threats. Chatham County, Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch and Liberty Counties are a part of that number.

If someone is caught making a threat, it could come with a hefty price like a felony. Some could face up to a $1,000 fine and possibly prison time.

“People need to think about the ramifications of what they are doing when they are younger,” Murphy said. “I mean something like a decision you make when you are younger could affect you for the rest of your life. People in general should think about what they are going to do now and how that’s going to affect them later.”

He went on to say they will continue to take every threat serious to make sure students, faculty and staff are safe.