Kauai’s police chief urges parents to remind kids about seriousness of making threats

KAUAI, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) -In light of recent threats against DOE schools, Kauai’s Police Chief Todd Raybuck is strengthening the call for the community to work together to prevent future incidents.

On Friday, Raybuck issued a statement about the recent threats.

“Lockdowns and evacuations are appropriate protocols for active and imminent threats. While we must continue to take all threats seriously, we also recognize that not all threats are legitimate and continuing school lockdowns for unconfirmed threats can have a negative and lasting impact on students, parents, and the community," he said.

In late September and again in October, classes were disrupted at a handful of schools around the island. One of the threats involved a bomb scare.

KPD said they are holding those responsible accountable for their actions, however they can’t release details because the case involves juveniles.

"We strongly urge all parents and guardians to take this opportunity to talk to their children about the seriousness of making threats against another person or school. Terroristic threatening of any degree is a very serious crime that carries serious consequences. Please talk to your children about these consequences, and contact a school official if you have any concerns about your child’s welfare,” Raybuck added.

Raybuck is also encouraging schools officials to work with KPD to establish response procedures based on criteria of future threats to minimize disruptions and emotional impact to students.

“We understand this has been a very trying time for our community and we sincerely empathize with all who are struggling in the aftermath of these recent events. Please be assured that KPD’s investigations have verified there were no imminent threats to the safety and security of students and faculty at any time during those events.

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