Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats

Parents sending their kids to school on Thursday will see extra and deputy presence on campuses.

The increase in law enforcement is due to threats to schools posted on social media.

The threats are not credible but have been shared multiple times on social media platforms.

Now, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is urging the community to report any threats seen on social media instead of sharing the social media posts.

The sheriff’s office said it has no evidence of credible threats to Charlotte County Public Schools, but it is increasing its presence on all campuses as a precaution.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office posted a post on Facebook Wednesday, saying in part, “Concerned community members have reported these posts. While there is no evidence of a credible threat, CCSO takes these reports very seriously and will investigate them thoroughly.”

They then updated that post by saying, “Through investigation, detectives have tracked down the person who made the original post and determined there is no actual threat.”

The Punta Gorda Police Department responded with a Facebook post, saying they “take any such reports very seriously and will investigate. Out of an abundance of caution, the Punta Gorda Police Department will have an increased presence at our schools tomorrow.”

It’s also essential for parents to have serious conversations with their children about how and when to report something if they see or hear about a potential threat.