Police and school had it well covered

The Mount Prospect Police Department continues to receive inquiries from the public that would suggest parents of Prospect High School students and others within the community believe that during the past weekend (Oct. 13, 14) Prospect High School administrators became aware of a possible threat against members of the Prospect student body. As chief of police, I feel it necessary to set the record straight.

The Mount Prospect Police Department has a detective assigned to Prospect High School on a full-time basis. School administrators and Mount Prospect police, through the detective assigned to the high school, dealt swiftly and thoroughly to investigate an alleged statement made in passing to one student by another during the school day on Oct. 12. At no time during said investigation did the police department believe that a credible threat to harm any member of the student body or faculty was or could be substantiated.

Extensive efforts by school administrators over the weekend provided specific facts concerning the alleged statement, which, when taken in their entirety, allowed police and administrators to determine that a series of rumors, rather than a bona fide threat, shared among students and parents was the source of the real concern. In short, there was no substance to rumors about guns, "hit lists" or specific plans to harm others.

The police department maintains an excellent working relationship with the administration of Prospect High School. In addition to the detective assigned to the school on a permanent basis, our patrol officers frequently walk the halls of Prospect during school hours. The Mount Prospect police treat all threats against school bodies, spoken or implied, with urgency and devote the investigative resources necessary to confirm or discredit same.

I can state unequivocally that Prospect administrators reacted appropriately and with the best interest of all parties involved in investigating last week's comment made by a student. As chief of police, I am ultimately responsible for public safety at the school, and I commend Prospect administrators for their collective effort to investigate last week's student comment and their willingness to notify and then work closely with police to ensure school safety.

Chief John K. Dahlberg

Mount Prospect Police Department