Ridge Meadows RCMP continue to investigate two incidents of threats at Maple Ridge high schools on Friday
While the investigations remain active and open, RCMP will not be issuing a media statement.
“This was primarily a school incident which we were assisting with,” said Const. Julie Klaussner.
Meanwhile, a police presence may remain this week at Westview secondary, where one of the threats occurred.
The other occurred at Samuel Robertson Technical.
The Westview investigation involves anonymous shooting threats found in three bathrooms at the school, which did not target any individual student, and Dec. 13 was the date mentioned.
School District No. 42 communicated about the incidents with each school community.
RELATED: Maple Ridge RCMP at Westview secondary this morning.
“We are aware of concerns in our school community about a threat posted to social media targeting one of our students. We would like to thank all students and parents/guardians who reported this threat to our school and to the RCMP,” the school district wrote about SRT.
“The Ridge Meadows RCMP is investigating the threat and we are assisting that investigation. The social media account itself has been taken down and the student who was the target of this threat is not attending while police investigate.”
The threat was posted on a fake social media account and has since been taken down.
The threat has been re-posted, though, on community social media pages.
The two incidents are unrelated, said Irena Pochop, school district senior manager of communications.
She said on Monday that both schools had returned to normal, though there may be more of a police presence at Westview this week.
“In the case of SRT, there was no threat made against the school, so the response is more about protecting the student and their privacy,” Pochop added.
She said that in both cases, school district protocols were followed: the RCMP was notified, the Safe and Caring Schools team was brought in, and the provincial Safer Schools Together also was consulted.
Read More: Police looked into threat involving Maple Ridge school
“However, we always do a thorough review after any incident to identify any potential gaps and to see where our response may be improved, moving forward,” Pochop said.
She added that school board statements are always prepared in collaboration with the Ridge Meadows RCMP so that people can be updated, without compromising the investigation.
Pochop explained that once the police investigation concludes, the school district initiates its own Violence Threat Risks Assessment protocol, a process that is independent of any police response.
The school district provides parents with a Fair Notice on its website at the start of the year, clarifying that all threats are taken seriously, responded to and investigated, Pochop added.
Once the violence threat assessment concludes, intervention plans are developed and shared with parents, staff, and students as required. “The nature of these interventions will vary depending on the circumstances of any specific situation,” Pochop said.
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