Tip prompts school bus stop
Sandpoint Police and Lake Pend Oreille School District officials talk after a school district bus was stopped on Church Street after an anonymous tip reported an unspecified security concern aboard the bus.
Photo by CAROLINE LOBSINGER
SANDPOINT — A Lake Pend Oreille School District bus was pulled over late Wednesday afternoon after officials received an anonymous tip of an unspecified possible security concern on the bus.
After the bus was pulled over in the 300 block of Church Street, the students could be seen milling around it as three or four patrol cars were stationed nearby and officers talked to district officials.
LPOSD Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer said the district received the tip through the See-Tell-Now system, prompting a quick and collaborative response from its campus security officer, Sandpoint Police school resource office and local law enforcement.
"We are thankful all students are safe," Meyer said. "We are very grateful for the quick and collaborative response from our campus security officer, SRO, and local law enforcement who responded to an anonymous tip."
After the program alerted the district of the potential concern, Sandpoint Police officers, a campus security officer and a school resource officer responded to downtown Sandpoint. The bus was stopped and searched to determine the validity of the tip, Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon said.
After roughly 30 minutes, students reboarded the bus and the bus continued on its way, Coon said.
"Law enforcement officers were unable to substantiate any credible threat to students and staff today," the police chief said. "We take all safety concerns seriously and will investigate all alleged complaints."
District officials and Coon declined to elaborate on the nature of the threat or what was said in the tip to prompt the decision to stop the school bus.
In texts to parents to the Daily Bee, Meyer said student safety was the district's top concern and prompted the investigation of the unspecified tip.
"The program alerted us to a possible security concern on the bus," Meyer said. "Student safety is our No. 1 priority so we appreciate the patience and understanding afforded the security team as they searched and cleared the bus, ensuring us all students were safe."