Threats that lead to school lockdown “unfounded”

Following a call to the county’s emergency dispatch last week, law enforcement and school officials worked swiftly to investigate hostage claims that turned out to be “unfounded.”

Linderman Elementary in Polson was “briefly locked down” Thursday, Nov. 9, after an individual called 911, claiming to have five hostages in a Polson residence, according to a press release from the Polson Police Department.

The reported residence was close to the school, prompting the precaution.

The caller wanted $5,000 in ransom or the hostages would be killed, the release stated.

Polson Police Sergeant George Simpson said that officials determined the call was traced to a number from outside the country, similar to threats received around the nation in recent months.

He also said that the call was received at about 1 p.m. and the lockdown lasted for approximately two hours.

“The safety of our community and guests is of the utmost importance to us,” Simpson stated.

Together, the Polson Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County E-911 center worked to investigate the matter.

According to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell, the address the male caller gave dispatch “was a block from the Linderman school,” so he sent deputies to secure the school “just in case,” while law enforcement investigated.

The residence the caller specified money was to be dropped off at was checked and cleared, Bell confirmed.

“At no time was there a direct threat” toward the school, Bell said.

Polson School District Superintendent Rex Weltz confirmed that while just Linderman Elementary was placed on an external lockdown, the other three schools in the district were alerted.

Bell stated that Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies, detectives, Undersheriff Ben Woods and Bell himself went door-to-door in the neighborhood where the caller said he was located, checking the residences.

In addition to law enforcement canvassing the neighborhood, Bell said that there was a deputy assigned to find where the caller was from while two undercover vehicles, as well as the undersheriff, patrolled the vicinity, “looking for any sign of problems.”

An external lock down involves monitoring foot traffic in and out of the school. Weltz explained that during that type of lockdown, students are not permitted to go outside.

Weltz said that once the external lockdown was in place, a custodian locked doors to the building while the school resource officer screened people coming through the building.

As the incident unfolded, a “robo call” through the school’s alert system, PowerSchool, was made by Polson School District administration, alerting parents to the situation.

Weltz said that he called at-large faculty to help with the situation, as well as make sure that Linderman Elementary administration had the support needed during the incident.

“Our focus is about student safety,” Weltz said.

Initially, the school went into an “internal lockdown,” where students and faculty take precaution as if there is an incident within the school, including hiding in classrooms.

As information was learned, he said that he instructed the teachers to continue with their lesson plans.

Overall, Weltz said that teachers and administrators handled the ordeal “with professionalism,” focusing on the students.

“Their focus is always, and will always, be about the kids,” Weltz said, adding that faculty will do their part to ensure students feel safe.

Weltz said that at the beginning of the school year, parents register to be added to the contact list, which also is used for snow delays and snow days.

Parents of Polson School District students wishing to update their contact information through PowerSchool can do so by visiting https://powerschool.polson.k12.mt.us/public/