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Posted by: kwflatbed

LEOMINSTER -- Police have charged a 15-year-old Leominster High School student in connection with a threat scrawled on an LHS wall this month that allegedly singled out a faculty member, Police Chief Peter Roddy said Tuesday.
Investigators issued a warrant for the juvenile male, whose name is not being released, and police charged him on March 14, Roddy said.
"(The charges were brought) based on the handwriting," he said.
The student is charged with disrupting a public school with a threat, which is a felony, Roddy said.
Police on March 11 patrolled LHS because a message written in a stall of a boys' bathroom appeared to constitute a threat against a specific faculty member, and the message singled out that specific day.
LHS Principal Tom Browne said the student has been suspended, pending court proceedings on the charge.
Superintendent Nadine Binkley said Tuesday the school district has the right to not accept him back if he is convicted of the felony.
"If a student is charged with a felony then they are removed from the school," she said Tuesday.
Browne said he credits the police department with the quick investigation, saying they acted immediately.
Roddy said the student facing the charge had been investigated as soon as the alleged threat was found.
"He was a viable suspect from day one," he said. The teen's parents were cooperative and helped police with the investigation -- the teen turned himself in -- and Roddy said police also considered the possibility more than one student had information about the message.

"We wanted to err on the side of caution," he said. "And we had to let parents know about it."
Parents earlier this month received a telephone message from Browne announcing the police investigation after the message was found, and many kept students out of school on March 11, though the day passed without incident.
Roddy acknowledged an announcement should have been made about the student being charged earlier, but said the teen turned himself in late on a Friday evening before a holiday week, and a notice to parents did not go out.
"We could have done a press release of some kind," he said.
Binkley said after police take over an investigation it's up to the department what information is released, and officials have to be particularly sensitive if a case involves juvenile suspects.
"I was told that because the situation involves a minor that I could not release any information," she said.
Binkley said teachers and staff at LHS used the incident as an opportunity to teach students about the "extremely serious consequences" of the alleged threat. "There was a great deal of talking about it with students, particularly on the day of the threat (being announced to students and parents)," she said.

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_8702544

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Posted by: resqjyw0

Students pay for their actions

By Anna L. Griffin TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
agriffin@telegram.com

LEOMINSTER— One person’s hoax is another’s threat to public safety.

“Law enforcement’s view of these types of incidents changed after Columbine,” said Police Chief Peter F. Roddy, speaking about threats that have been made by students and the response they get.

Recently, a 15-year-old Leominster High School student was charged in connection with a threat written on a wall in a bathroom at the school. The boy, whose identity is not being released because of his age, is facing a single count of disrupting a public school with a threat, which is a felony.

Chief Roddy said the student was charged under Chapter 269, Section 14 of the Massachusetts General Laws.

“I had an attorney contact me and state he did not know such a law was in place,” the chief said. “It is in place and we’re going to use it.”

The chapter covers making a threat, and it poses some hefty penalties if the person is convicted. These include a prison sentence of 3 to 20 years, a fine of $1,000 to $50,000, or both. After the conviction, the court can hold another hearing to determine the cost of that person’s actions and order that restitution be paid. For example, a municipality may incur overtime costs if additional police officers and firefighters are needed to respond to the threat.

“These types of cases put a drain on public safety resources,” Chief Roddy said, pointing to the case involving the 15-year-old.

The written threat, which said that something would happen March 11, was found about noon March 6 on a wall in a rarely used bathroom, school officials said. The threat singled out a faculty member. A suspect was identified shortly after the note was found, and a handwriting analyst was brought in to help with the case.

“We had an idea of who it might be almost immediately after the investigation started, but we needed more time to develop the case,” Chief Roddy said.

An automated telephone message went out on the night of March 10 to notify parents and faculty members about the situation.

Police officers — both in uniform and plain clothes — walked through Leominster High School March 11, monitoring main doorways and stopping in the cafeteria to reassure people. Chief Roddy said additional police officers were brought in that day.

The school tallied a higher-than-usual number of absentees March 11, with about 550 students out, although more than 1,300 students did attend class, school officials said. The faculty member targeted in the threat also went to school that day.

Investigators issued a warrant for the boy and police charged him March 14. According to Chief Roddy, the student and his parents have been cooperating with police. He has been suspended from school.

“We’re very pleased with how this worked out,” said Nadine B. Binkley, superintendent of schools. “The police worked very quickly to get this matter resolved.”

“We have the right to do this,” Ms. Binkley said, speaking about the suspension. “He is not in school. If he wants to continue to receive work, or school assignments, he has the right to do that and can arrange to have work picked up for him. But right now, he is not allowed in school.”

If the student is convicted, the school district has the right not to accept him back, she said.

“We feel confident no other student is involved in this,” she added.

Ms. Binkley said the school system has decided that when threats of this nature are discovered, the Police Department is brought in immediately. “And when we do this, it becomes a matter of public record. Not all school systems handle things in this way. We have decided to pursue this course and we think it is the best way for our school system to handle it — the best way to ensure the safety of our students and faculty.”

“Unfortunately, it is the way our society is today. There is a lot of copycat behavior out there,” Ms. Binkley said. “We want the public to know, parents and students, that these types of actions have consequences and they are serious.”

The chapter of state law used in charging a student in Leominster was not used with a student connected with an incident at Quabbin Regional High School, Barre.

“He was charged under Chapter 272, Section 40, which does not have as severe penalties,” said Barre Police Chief Erik J. Demetropoulos. Those convicted under this law can face up to one month in jail and a fine of up to $50.

“We worked with the district attorney’s office in determining the charges,” Chief Demetropoulos said. “We view this situation seriously.”

The incident at Quabbin Regional High School occurred on March 10, when five live .22-caliber rounds and three .410-gauge shotgun shells were discovered in the school’s cafeteria.

The discovery forced officials to lock down the school about 12:20 p.m., keeping students in their classrooms until 4:30 p.m. before sending them home.

Patrick Provost, 17, a junior at the school, was charged with disrupting school, illegal possession of ammunition, disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana. As conditions of his release, he was placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring and that he have no further contact with the high school. Sue Gee, school superintendent for Quabbin, said at the time of his arraignment that Mr. Provost is no longer associated with the school.

Chief Demetropoulos said other students became unruly during the lockdown, “and these students were also charged. Some parents questioned whether we could charge them or not, because school generally gets out earlier, but in a lockdown situation, these students are still considered to be in school.”

The chief said most of the parents understood the situation and supported the action taken by police.

“We will charge students if the action warrants it,” Chief Demetropoulos said.

“I think we need to get the word out to not only the students, but parents as well,” Chief Roddy observed. “There are costs associated with doing something like this. What someone thinks is a joke, or a prank, isn’t. We’re taking it seriously.”

http://www.telegram.com/article/2008...003/NEWSREWIND

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