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Press Release

Law Enforcement Agencies Come Together to Address School Threats and Introduce Initiative to Visit Schools

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

Following the unprecedented increase in threats made against our schools since the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our local prosecutors and sheriffs, State Police, and federal law enforcement partners, came together to speak as one and emphasize that we intend to use our collective resources to find, arrest, and prosecute those who make threats against our schools,

“School threats, which are oftentimes the lead story in the news, are damaging our communities and terrifying our citizens – parents and children alike,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.  “This is an epidemic that the law enforcement community is facing together.”

The goal of today’s press conference was to send the message that law enforcement, at every level, will aggressively prosecute anyone who threatens our children and our schools. 

It is also important that we appeal to the parents of our students.  We must underscore the important of talking to their children about this issue.  It is imperative that both the parents and students understand the potential consequences for students who make these threats.  To that end, we have developed an initiative to visit schools and present this message directly to the students and parents.  It is our hope that this collective message will deter people from threatening our schools and cause parents to talk to their children about this problem.

Joining Schneider was Chief Deputy Michigan Attorney General Laura Moody, Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, Livingston County Prosecutor William Vailliencourt, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napolean, Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy, Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton, Captain Curtis Childs, Oakland County Sheriff's Office,  Detroit Police Chief James Craig and representatives from MSP, FBI, ATF, DEA, HSI, and Secret Service.

We welcome and encourage parents and educators to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office to schedule a visit to your school. 

For more information and/or to schedule a visit, please contact Assistant U.S. Attorney and Director of Community Outreach Terrence Haugabook at (313) 226-9157 or email at Terrence.haugabook@usdoj.gov

Updated April 3, 2018

Topic
Community Outreach