The day after students returned to school, police have responded to a bomb threat at a local high school.
On Wednesday (September 9) at around 6:45 a.m., Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from Norwood District High School about a possible bomb threat.
According to Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, the bomb threat was received via email. Staff at the school immediately initiated their safety protocols which included contacting police.
OPP officers arrived within minutes of being contacted and conducted a sweep of the school. They determined there was no immediate risk to the safety of the students or staff, and the school day continued.
The OPP Major Crime Unit will assist with the ongoing investigation into the source of the threat. Anyone who may have information regarding the investigation is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
The bomb threat at Norwood District High School follows several similar incidents earlier this year at schools in Lakefield and Cobourg. In April, three separate threats were received at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Cobourg, as well as one at C.R. Gummow Public School in Cobourg. In May, a bomb threat was made against Lakefield College School.
In all those incidents, police conducted searches of the schools and determined the threats were unfounded.
Police believe the incidents earlier this year were all instances of the criminal act of swatting, where someone reports false or misleading information to police to prompt an emergency response, often to someone’s home, business, or school. At the time, the OPP said that similar false threat calls targeting schools had occurred across the United States, Europe, and in Ontario.
The term “swatting” comes from SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), which are specialized police units trained to respond to high-risk situations like hostage crises or armed standoffs. Swatting emerged in the early 2000s within online communities, especially competitive gaming and internet forums, when disputes escalated into real-world harassment.
Because police treat all reports of threats or potential dangers to community safety seriously and respond accordingly, swatting can potentially lead to property damage, trauma, injury, or even death.
