Law enforcement and school administrators ask public to stop sharing threats to social media

MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va. ( WTRF ) – It’s been a week of threats against several Ohio Valley Schools causing lockdowns and cancellations. And it’s caused extreme anxiety for students and parents.

Marshall and Wetzel County school administrators and safety directors met with Marshall County Sheriff Bill Helms and EMA Director Tom Hart to inform the public on how to properly report potential threats to local schools.

Every threat is taken seriously.

However, the mass sharing of online threats to social media platforms like Snapchat and Facebook has created additional problems.

Sheriff Helms says sharing these threats online causes public panic and unrest and makes it more difficult for deputies to investigate where the threat originated from.

“It’s not helpful. You know, if people would report to us directly, I think our response is a lot more swift and accurate as well. There’s no possible way to wade through all the social media posts.”

Sheriff Bill Helms | Marshall County Sheriff’s Department

Department of Homeland Security has a free app called See Send that is available in the Google Play and Apple app stores.

Among the many options within the app, there is one to report School Threats or Safety Issues.

“If they actually do see something that they think that might be, you know, a potential threat or could be a potential problem, they can actually, you know, send an information, then it goes into the National Fusion Center and then that would be shared with the West Virginia Fusion Center. Then it is shared with local law enforcement. social media is really not the place to share, especially if you don’t have knowledge of the incident or the situation.”

Tom Hart | EMA Director, Marshall County

“Screen shotting and sharing things on social media is just taking resources away from investigating an issue. Don’t send a copy to your friend, send a copy to somebody who can intervene.”

Shelby Haines | Superintendent, Marshall County Schools

Wetzel County Schools Director of Safety Todd Barcus says sharing these threats to social media wastes time and resources, and most of the threats being shared are not credible.

“We had a meeting with Homeland Security yesterday, and they are telling us that over 99% of these threats are not credible.”

Todd Barcus | Director of Safety, Wetzel County Schools

Each school district goes through extensive training and have protocols in place to ensure the safety of students, staff and teachers.

Sheriff Helms says there are deputies assigned to patrol the schools and the surrounding areas.

“How do you keep a target safe? You protect it. You have to have deputies inside schools and deputies actively patrolling their schools. I just don’t think there’s any substitute for sworn uniformed officers in schools.”

Sheriff Bill Helms | Marshall County Sheriff’s Department

Marshall County Schools also hires an outside safety consultant each year so they can get an outside perspective.

Marshall County Superintendent Shelby Haines says these consultants have helped them realize different areas of schools that need updated such as windows and doors.

Michael Price, Facilities Director for Marshall County Schools says he is responsible for checking all of the alarm systems throughout the county.

He says any window below 8 feet has security screening, meaning if someone tries to break or shoot the glass, it does not immediately go through.

“It’s a laminated clear piece of plexiglass in the sense that sandwiches between our real glass. So, someone is trying to hit with a ball bat or heaven forbid, shooting it, it doesn’t penetrate the glass right away.”

Michael Price | Facilities Director for Marshall County Schools

Wetzel County Schools are in a “soft lockdown” every day. Meaning all their outside doors are locks and classroom doors are locked when students are present.

Additionally, they have a mantrap system in every school that keeps a person outside of the school so they can identify themselves before entering.

“We also started a few years ago, a system called Raptor, which is a visitor’s management system. So when visitors come to the school, they have to have their driver’s license scanned and checked. And through the database of the FBI.”

Todd Barcus | Director of Safety, Wetzel County Schools

Cassie Porter, Wetzel County Schools Superintendent says it’s important students and parents know they are safe.

“We do our best every single day to make sure that we are on safe lockdown. All of our policies and procedures are in place, that all of our staff are ready if anything would happen, that their safety is number one in our hearts and minds.

Cassie Porter | Wetzel County Schools Superintendent

You’re encouraged to immediately let law enforcement know of any potential threats you see or hear about.

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