Long Island schools see surge in threats: What to know
School threats surge on Long Island
It’s become an all-too-common occurrence on Long Island since the beginning of the school year as there is an increase in disturbing threats to schools. This has led to students, parents, and teachers being on edge. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg tells us what some Long Island officials are doing about it.
LONG ISLAND - According to officials, there has been an increase in disturbing threats to schools on Long Island.
Officials said there have been 80 threats against schools in Nassau County since the beginning of August compared to 23 during the same time last year. While the numbers in Suffolk aren't as high, the county has also seen an increase of 32 threats this year compared to 12 in 2023.
So far this school year, 11 threats have been called to Kellenberg, a private Catholic high school in Uniondale. As for public schools, Franklin Square, Freeport, Massapequa and Mineola are among the districts that have also received threats.
The exterior of Massapequa High School on Long Island, New York on September 10, 2021. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
A life-size screen inside Nassau’s intel and training center provides police with real-time information on all 550 school buildings in the county.
Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder says that he hopes there will never be an emergency, but that the safeguards in place include panic buttons in schools to bypass 911 to help make sure everyone is prepared.
"Seventy percent of school shootings are over in 3 to 5 minutes, 40% of the 70% are over in two minutes, response time in Nassau County to any emergency call is one to three minutes," Ryder said. "Every one of our cops is mandated to visit a school every single day."
The County’s Operation Overwatch initiative is designed to make the presence of officers on patrol known. Behind the scenes safety precautions are also in place.
"Emergency services is always in the community and neighborhood - they’re strategically located throughout the county to respond to any threat," Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
Officials encourage parents and students to report instead of reposting any threats on social media.