Suspect Arrested for Hazel Park Jr. High Phone Threats

(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 11, 2023)

Hazel Park, Ferndale, MI – A minor who was not a Hazel Park student was arrested Wednesday following phone threats to Hazel Park Jr. High on Monday and Tuesday. The threats caused the building to go on a “hold” Monday, and the cancellation of classes on Tuesday.

The district released the following letter on Wednesday:

Dear Hazel Park Family,

This letter is to provide you with an update on the investigation regarding the inappropriate messages, which at times were threatening, that the staff at Hazel Park Junior High School received on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

As a result of a thorough investigation by the Hazel Park Police Department, Hazel Park Schools, and its district administrators, a juvenile from another school district has been taken into custody.

This was never a credible threat. We take all threats seriously. We also thoroughly investigate each threat regardless of its credibility. We will pursue appropriate action regarding any matter that causes disruption to learning environments or makes the school community feel unsafe.

Threatening statements, rumors about threats to safety, or hoaxes related to school safety are subject to punishment, which could include, but are not limited to, expulsion from the school district. Law enforcement agencies also take these threats seriously, even when such incidents are intended as pranks.

The safety of all students and staff is the number one priority. Hazel Park Schools, the Hazel Park Police Department, and the City of Hazel Park will not tolerate threats or hoaxes related to campus safety under any circumstance.

Hazel Park Schools has always been able to work closely with local law enforcement to ensure a safe educational environment for our students. The Hazel Park Police Department dedicated a lot of time to investigating in order to get this outcome we’re announcing today.

We also want to thank the Hazel Park School students and community for partnering with us to help collectively address this disruption to the school environment. Thank you for reporting your concerns directly to us. Thank you for allowing us time to complete the investigation. We appreciate your continued support of a safe learning environment for our students.

Superintendent Amy Kruppe held two Zoom meetings on Tuesday to talk with parents about the incident.

She explained that safety precautions were put in place following phone calls made to school staff each morning.  On Monday the caller, who Kruppe said “sounded like a child,” made “inappropriate” remarks to receptionists over the phone.  There was then a call with a threat.

A “hold” is when students and teachers remain in their classrooms until a sensitive situation is resolved.  This could be due to threats, but also other reasons such as a medical emergency, or a threat that is outside of the school.  The hold on Monday lasted two hours while police and school administrators worked to investigate whether the threat was credible or not.

On Tuesday morning, around 8 am, Kruppe said there was another call to the building with a threat.  This time she and police made the decision to cancel classes for the day. “These are not easy decisions,” she said. “This is important for the safety of our staff and our students as well.”

The timing of the calls was right when students were beginning to arrive.  Some students were allowed inside – with their backpacks checked – while waiting for rides home.  Others walked home or waited outside without realizing they could go in.  To parents concerned about the cold, Kruppe said “after every event we talk about what we can do better.”

Many teachers were not permitted in the building, and spent their day helping out at other schools.

Police have not yet identified the caller.  Though when they do, Dr. Kruppe said she will encourage the police to prosecute.

As incidents of threats terrorize students and staff members in schools across the country, law enforcement is taking them seriously. In November, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard made a video about the consequences of making threats.  Back in April of last year the search for a suspect led overseas where a teenager was arrested for threats towards multiple schools including Brandon, Cranbrook, Orion and Oxford Schools.  And of course the abundance of caution when threats come in stems from the increasing number of school shootings that do take place, including the Nov. 2021 shooting that claimed the lives of four Oxford students.

She also talked about the importance of parent and student involvement in creating a safe environment. This includes social and emotional learning in the classrooms, as well as an increase in social workers in the district.  A second school resource officer is expected to start soon – meaning there will be one SRO for the High School and one for the Jr High, with both making visits to the elementary schools as well.

There is also a Parent Safety Committee forming, and discussions of a workshop for parents about school safety training.  Those interest in joining the Parent Safety Committee can reach out to the administration through the district’s website.