TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos tells KGUN 9 his department alone has already arrested about a “half dozen” students so far this school year for making threats, in addition to arrests from other law enforcement agencies.
Nanos says just last week, he was getting early morning questions sent to his personal cell phone from parents in the community that he doesn’t know, asking whether it’s safe to send their children to school.
He says while it’s better to call 911 with concerns rather than him directly, he understands their concerns.
“That parent’s fears, is real, it’s valid, it’s justified,” he said. “Just as that threat is. It’s a real threat, don’t discard it.”
PCSD, TPD and other agencies say if you see a threat online, don’t repost it; screenshot if you can, and call 9-1-1.
“One threat goes out and it spiderwebs and touches so many others,” Nanos explained.
He says some threats start here in Southern Arizona, but many others come from out of state and are tweaked slightly to include local schools as targets.
“We have various intel units across the country, our own across the state,” he said. “We work with our federal partners and kind of assess with everybody.”
Even those threats deemed as not being acted on require coordination between law enforcement and schools, and can put a strain on staffing.
“Ninety-nine percent of the time, they all require a response and then at least a minimal investigative effort,” said Nanos. “But sometimes that investigative effort turns into an even bigger investigation.”
In Cochise County, Sheriff Mark Dannels announced last week schools will allow students to report safety concerns via a QR code.
“See something, Say Something, Under a QR code. You’re gonna see this real soon,” he said in a social media video. “This allows students a voice to public safety and law enforcement.”
Nanos says while schools and students stay alert, parents need to step up, too.
“Our parents need to be actively engaged in their kids, and their social media,” he said.
And when in doubt about the legitimacy of a threat, Nanos says it’s best to call 911.
