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 Bogus bomb threats are a real crime By Gene Friedman Bomb threats at colleges such as Savannah College of Art and Design seem to sprout toward the end of spring quarter for some reason. Conversation among faculty and staff at SCAD tends to center on the theory that these threats are generated when students are behind in their end-of-quarter projects. Receiving somewhat fewer votes is the alternative theory that the threats are made on perfect, sunny days so that students can get some beach time at Tybee. Regardless of motivation, bomb threats are a serious crime and ones thst SCAD and the Savannah/Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will prosecute to the fullest. As if the gravity of this crime required any further emphasis, the coming of the G8 Summit magnifies it even further. While world leaders and their staff will not be here until early June, advance parties from the involved countries have already arrived. Thousands of media representatives also will be here before the event, adding further to the emphasis on security. Taken altogether and viewed against the backdrop of the current world situation, anything that even remotely evokes the threat of a bomb will result in an immediate and overwhelming response. Lest anyone be mistaken, these are not harmless college pranks that can be excused by claiming spring fever. They present a hazard at many different levels. Threats are dangerous to police and fire officers even before they arrive on the scene. They must first rapidly respond through heavy city traffic, then face the difficulty of searching for an explosive device. There also is danger to students and college personnel who must quickly evacuate the targeted building. The possibility of accidents and personal injury is very real as everyone rushes out of a building into the street. Finally, these incidents are highly stressful and disruptive to students who attend college to learn and prepare for future careers. Students are additionally burdened with the need to make up lost class time because of the building evacuation. Police routinely trace these calls to capture the perpetrator. They also devote a great deal of other valuable resources, time and energy that should be spent on legitimate concerns. When complaints are made about crime and the police response to it, it is worthwhile to think about what officers could be doing if they weren’t wasting time on bogus calls. SCAD is working closely with the police to identify the criminals who make these calls by offering a $1,000 reward leading to their arrest and conviction. Furthermore, other means are being employed to end this behavior. Calling in a bomb threat is an immature, selfish, inconsiderate act. Perhaps healthcare professionals can provide additional clinical diagnoses for this behavior. By whatever label, however, it is still a crime. To secure the safety of the SCAD community and provide the best possible education, it is essential that anyone with information regarding these incidents contact the college security department. Rather than considering it disloyal to provide information about the person making these calls, consider instead that this person actually is the one who is disloyal to his friends. He is disrupting their classes and negatively affecting their college career. Friedman is director of college security at SCAD. |
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