November 15, 2017 at 11:46 a.m.
Crescent Elementary locked down Wednesday due to potential threat
District: Students and staff were safe at all times
Crescent Elementary locked down Wednesday due to potential threat
According to chief deputy Dan Hess, the manager of a local business called police after hearing people in the business talking about an individual who might pose a danger to the school.
"The conversation was related to an individual that was coming up to the Rhinelander area to cause issues at Crescent School," Hess said in an initial press statement Wednesday morning. "This call is related to a domestic/child custody issue."
Later Wednesday, the department clarified that investigators had determined the child custody dispute to which the individuals in the business were referring had actually been resolved some time ago.
"People were talking about this past issue in public and it was reported to law enforcement as current," sheriff's officials said in a second press release.
In an interview with the RiverâNews, Hess also said investigators spoke to the individual accused of making the alleged threatening comments and the individual denied saying anything to that effect.
The initial call was received at around 9:30 a.m., and according to a joint press release from the School District of Rhinelander and the Oneida County Sheriff's Department, Crescent was locked down immediately and officers were sent to other Rhinelander schools as a precautionary measure. Sugar Camp, Three Lakes and Minocqua schools were also alerted as a precaution.
After the lockdown was lifted and students and staff were able to resume classes, a sheriff's deputy remained at the school for additional security, Hess said.
"We take all threats seriously," superintendent Kelli Jacobi said in an interview. "They (Crescent staff) did a phenomenal job today," she added.
In a robocall to parents, Crescent principal Gayle Daniel reiterated that her students were never in danger.
"Please know that we will take each and every threat very seriously," Daniel said in the robocall. "It is my responsibility to keep all students and staff safe while here at school."
When asked if he would characterize the incident as a false alarm or something else, Hess was hesitant to say the incident was considered closed.
"I'm going to let the detectives continue their investigation before I'm going to speculate on that," he said.
When it comes to reported threats against schools, the department has to take every threat seriously, he added.
"We have to," he said. "We just have to."
Hess also noted that the sheriff's department has been contacted by some area churches and businesses about safety training, especially in light of the recent shooting incidents across the country.
"The one's that we're doing, I believe it is one of (RPD chief) Lloyd's (Gauthier) trainers and a couple of our trainers," Hess said.
Jacobi said all district schools have security lockdown drills twice per school year. Ironically, Crescent, the last district school scheduled, had a drill on Tuesday.
Kayla Breese and Jeremy Mayo contributed to this story.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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