School Threats PSA: It’s NO Joke

ATTENTION PARENTS: We are asking parents to please watch this 2-minute video with your children, and make sure they understand the serious consequences of making school threats. Written threats, verbal threats, posted images, and videos that reference any act of violence or threat of violence against a student(s) or school campus will be investigated immediately.

It does not matter if the threatening comment was sent in a private chat thread, or said in a private conversation between friends. It does not matter if the threatening comment was intended as a joke. As per Florida state law, ALL school-related threats, no matter the intent, are a serious crime and chargeable as a felony.

Our Threat Assessment Team is always ready to respond to all potential threats made towards our local students and school campuses. This school year we have investigated various potential threats which led to the arrest of several students on felony charges, even after they indicated that the threats they made were intended as a joke. SCHOOL THREATS ARE NEVER A JOKE, and can have a lasting impact on a child’s life.

Our police department will continue to work together with parents, teachers, administrators, the School Board of Broward County, local Charter Schools, and our elected officials to ensure the continued safety of our schools.

Please speak with your children about school threats, and help us prevent these crimes from occurring in the future.