SECOND BOMB THREAT IN AS MANY DAYS FOR ROCKLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Police responded to another bomb threat at Rockland District High School and Rockland Public School Tuesday morning, the second threat received against the high school in as many days.
According to the Russell detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), shortly before 8 a.m. on May 7, police responded to the threat at the school on St. Joseph
Street. Students from both schools were evacuated, a perimeter established and a search of the schools was completed.
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RDHS was also evacuated the day before after a bomb threat was made Monday morning, May 4.
Students were escorted out of the school on St. Joseph Street and led to their designated evacuation zone during the early hours of their school day on Monday before 8:30 a.m., according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Several OPP cruisers, Clarence-Rockland Fire Department trucks and Prescott-Russell emergency services ambulances were on scene as a precaution. OPP indicated there was no ‘‘actual threat to public safet’’ at the time of the evacuation.
Parents and guardians of students at the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) school were sent a letter stating the school had received the bomb threat, and reiterated that there was no danger to students or staff.
‘‘Police were notified immediately and are on scene investigating. All students have evacuated the school to the designated area, which is Rockland PS’’ the UCDSB letter read. ‘‘Please know that all students and staff are safe. Do not come to the area around the school.’’
The area was cleared and students returned to classes a little more than an hour later around 9:30 a.m.
Russell OPP and other units are investigating both bomb threats. Police are reminding the public that such threats are punishable under numerous sections of the criminal code.