MPPD investigates possible threat made against MPCSD

There was increased police presence at Mt. Pleasant Community School District schools and offices after a possible threat was made against the school district by an employee; however, there is no active threat at this time, according to the police department and district superintendent.

The Mt. Pleasant Police Department was notified of a possible threat made against the district on Tuesday, May 21, at 3:25 p.m. A text alert was sent out by the district at 5:35 p.m.

The alert stated that all relevant employee information regarding the threat was turned over to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department to review, evaluate and investigate.

'All threats against MPCSD are taken seriously,” the text alert said. 'As a precaution, the police will have an increased presence at and around district buildings.”

John Henriksen, superintendent of the MPCSD, said that the threat was made by a paraeducator at Mt. Pleasant Community High School (MPCHS). The paraeducator said something to another paraeducator out of frustration that was threatening in nature against the district, Henriksen said. The paraeducator took it seriously and reported it to the high school office.

Henriksen received a call from Mike Wilson, associate principal at MPCHS, about the incident. Henriksen then reached out to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department.

'Our responsibility was to take that seriously and inform people,” Henriksen said. 'The police department took statements and are following up on what was said.”

Henriksen said that the district was at 'normal operations” on Wednesday aside from increased police presence that morning. Principals met with their staff on Wednesday morning to address their questions.

Henriksen said he spoke to the paraeducator who made the threatening comment and told them that if they came near any district buildings they would be arrested immediately. That paraeducator's keys have been deactivated. Henriksen said that it is a personnel matter and they are consulting with their attorneys to take further action.

'There is no active threat,” Henriksen said.

Chief Lyle Murray, with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, said that their investigation showed that the comments were concerning, but not necessarily a direct threat against the district or criminal in nature.

'Any time any comments are made, the school takes it seriously as well as the police department,” Murray said. 'It was investigated fairly quickly. At this point, we helped out the schools as needed and had an officer at all five of the buildings and at a day care provider this morning.”

Murray said that the police department still is monitoring the situation, but he doesn't know if there will be increased police presence at the schools after Wednesday.

'It will be more of a roaming patrol. If anyone calls in, we'll address the situation as needed,” Murray said.

Generally, the police department has an officer patrolling the schools every morning and afternoon to make sure students arrive and get home safely, Murray said.