Honesty is best policy

INVESTIGATORS are looking into a possible link between two threats made to the same school, months apart, as police vow to catch the person responsible.

Extra security has been tasked at Helensvale State School today after the school was thrown into lockdown yesterday morning.

An unknown person called in a bomb threat on Monday night, leaving a voice message on the school’s answering machine.

Regional Duty Officer, Inspector Ray Vine said a series of four “incoherent” voice messages were sent to the school within a 10-minute period just after 10pm on Monday, threatening to hide a bomb on the premises.

The call is similar in tone to the one made the night before the school went into lockdown on February 18.

Sources have told the Bulletin, detectives are investigating if the call was made by the same person, an incoherent, “drunk” sounding man, threatening the school.

The school was locked down for an hour-and-a-half with frustrated parents receiving an early morning text message, telling them not to drop off their children, while parents who had already dropped kids off found themselves caught in the lockdown.

“We sat under the tables and played on iPads, it was pretty scary when the first alarm went off, they didn’t tell us what was happening,” one mother told the Bulletin.

It is understood police also visited Helensvale High School as a precautionary measure.

A large number of police officers swarmed the scene, checking the school grounds before the all-clear was given at 10.20am.

Insp Vine said while the threats were found to be baseless, police are treating the incident seriously and will be working hard to identify the person involved.

“A full search of the school was undertaken … and at this point in time we are satisfied that there is no risk to the school,” he said.

“We are conducting checks in relation to the telephone number. We will be running our normal investigation into this type of incident.

“We are looking to identify the perpetrator of that phone call very, very quickly.”

Parents were quick to express their anger that the school had again been the target of telephone threats, while praising staff for how they handled the incident.

“I am so sick and tired of these bloody people making threats,” one parent commented on the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Facebook page.

“Poor children are going to be traumatised.

“Well done to the teachers for coping with such awful circumstances.”

Another parent said she was worried about the impact of the lockdowns on her child.

“It is frustrating,” the parent said. “The last time my daughter was hiding under her desk for five hours.

“The school do their best. But this can’t keep happening.”

The Child Protection Unit is now leading the investigation, and the person involved could face criminal charges and possibly jail time.

Insp Vine warned residents of the dangers of threats against schools.

“Certainly any time there is a threat to a school it ties up significant resources, it creates concern within the community and it impacts the children – we’re dealing with a primary school here and some of these children are quite young.

“It’s a concern for us and it should be a concern to the community.” SCHOOL lockdowns can be confusing for the little ones involved but an honest, calm conversation can help clear the air, says a Coast psychologist.

“Rather than put words in a kid’s mouth or suggest feelings, I would ask: ‘So, how did you go during that (lockdown)?,” said Dr Peta Stapleton, an associate professor in psychology at Bond University.

“Not all children are going to be negatively affected. Saying something benign opens it up for them to talk about it.

“That way, you’re not implanting your own worry.

“Be factual. Don’t make stories up. If you don’t know what caused it, that’s what you tell them.”

For students aware of school shootings in the US parents are advised to let their children bring up their concerns.

“Invite them to talk about it but then let them take the lead,” Dr Stapelton said.