Superintendent Expresses Concern About Bomb Threats Targeting Harford County Schools

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — In less than a week, five Harford County public schools have received bomb threats that police proved to be not credible.

Last Wednesday morning, hundreds of students and staff members at Havre de Grace Middle and High Schools were evacuated after police received an email threatening "bombs in a classroom," Patch reported previously. Cpl. Philip Goertz with the Havre de Grace Police Department said the email was received at 8:15 a.m. Police immediately contacted school officials to warn them of the threat, which prompted a full evacuation of the building. Students and personnel were sent to the athletic field while police used K9s to sniff for explosives in the school, according to the police department.

Officers from the Havre de Grace Police Department, Maryland Transportation Police and the Aberdeen Proving Ground Police worked to investigate and the threat was found to not be credible, authorities said. Once the buildings were cleared, students and staff returned and resumed classes, according to Havre de Grace High School/Middle School Principal Brad Spence in a note sent to the school community.

Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Sean Bulson said in a statement Monday afternoon that the threats appear to be part of a trend that's impacted schools across numerous jurisdictions.

"While law enforcement has determined these threats are not credible, every single one demands a full investigation and immediate response to ensure the safety of our students and staff. These are not harmless pranks. These threats disrupt learning, create real fear and anxiety, and force schools into crisis mode. They affect the mental well-being of our students and staff. In a time when every threat must be taken seriously, it is critical that people understand hoax threats like these will not be tolerated. When threats are made, school operations are interrupted, support services are diverted and valuable instructional time is lost. Law enforcement and emergency resources, which could be responding to actual emergencies in our community, are pulled away to respond to fake threats," Bulson said.

Bulson said he hopes the threats aren't being made by someone affiliated with Harford County Public Schools. The individual or people making and distributing the fake bomb threats will "face serious consequences."

"If the person responsible is a student, they will be disciplined in accordance with the HCPS Student Code of Conduct. They may also face criminal charges and prosecution under state law. We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify those responsible and will not hesitate to take action," Bulson added.

Bulson encouraged parents to talk to their students about the seriousness of the situation, the damage caused by these actions and that "joking about violence or threats has consequences that are both immediate and severe."

School officials were alerted by the Maryland Center for School Safety that similar threats were reported in jurisdictions across the state, Spence said, including Patterson Mill Middle/High School, Joppatowne High School and Harford Technical High School.