UF police said they are monitoring a string of bomb threats that led to mass evacuations at college campuses nationwide in the last week.
The University of Texas at Austin and North Dakota State University received bomb threats by telephone on Sept. 14. Police ordered thousands of students, faculty and administrators at both colleges to stay away as officers canvassed the campuses.
Hiram College, located in northeast Ohio, received a bomb threat via an email later that day.
On Monday, Louisiana State University was evacuated after 911 dispatch received a call from a person who said he had placed multiple bombs on campus. The school shut down for the rest of the day while police searched for the devices.
Students at an Arkansas State University dormitory were evacuated Tuesday afternoon following a bomb threat.
Police at the five institutions did not find explosives, and the incidents do not appear to be related.
Although these bomb threats occurred outside Florida, UF — like all institutions — is susceptible to receive a threat at any moment.
On Aug. 14, two women claimed they hid a bomb on the third floor of Shands Hospital for Children, according to Alligator archives. Police arrested the suspects four hours after the incident.
In the spring, there was a bomb threat to the O’Connell Center. Police did not find any devices during the search.
Following UF’s 2009 Homecoming parade, a Reitz Union maintenance worker found an unattended backpack and called police. After a six-hour investigation, police discovered the backpack had been filled with sand and used as a tire wedge.
In 2008, UPD responded to a threat when someone whispered on the phone to the Alachua County 911 that there was a bomb at the Florida Gym. After two hours of searching the building, police did not find any suspicious materials inside or outside the building.
UPD spokesman Maj. Brad Barber said the department has to be prepared for all possibilities.
According to Florida Statute, a bomb threat is a threat to throw, project, place or discharge a destructive device.
Bomb threats are typically made by phone, Barber said. But there have been instances, like at Hiram College, where a bomb threat can be made via email.
If a bomb threat of any kind is made to campus, Barber said UPD has to assess a number of factors to verify the credibility of the threat. These include time, location, potential target and if there is an event happening.
Once a threat is verified, UPD updates students and faculty members on the situation through the UF Alert system, which includes text messages, emails, tweets and posts on UPD’s Facebook page and website.
“UF Alert system is our primary means of discussing with the community what is taking place,” Barber said.
In the updates, police will address the location of the incident as well as instructions to either evacuate or avoid the area, depending on each case.
“It is very situationally dependent,” Barber said.
Barber said if officers cannot determine what is inside an unattended backpack or box, they treat it like a bomb. UPD then calls a bomb disposal team, usually from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, to see what is inside.
“We would not put our officers and/or members of the community in harm’s way when it comes to any kind of suspicious packages,” Barber said.
Lt. J.J. Moran, commander of ASO’s Bomb Disposal Team, said the bomb disposal team would respond with whatever equipment UPD requested, which could include a robot used to remotely inspect a potential explosive device.
“We also have additional investigative options that allow us to inspect potential suspicious devices while keeping at a safe distance,” Moran wrote in an email.
Depending on the situation, bomb threats on campus can suspend classes or daily building operations. Incidents can last for hours until police give an all clear.
“We try to minimize the disruption,” Barber said. “But inconvenience will always take a backseat to public safety.”
Police and emergency responders are not alone in maintaining order if a bomb threat occurs.
Each building on campus has a designated Building Emergency Coordinator, or person of contact for emergency responders during an incident.
For threats, they are given fliers to fill out with information for police and other responders if they receive a threatening call.
Although there has yet to be a real bomb placed on campus, Barber said those who call a fake threat are subjected to penalties, which could include jail time. Reporting a false bomb threat is a second-degree felony, according to Florida Statute.
Barber said UPD takes every threat seriously.
“These are very serious offenses with significant consequences and will be treated as such,” he said.
Contact Chris Alcantara at calcantara@alligator.org.
