CHELMSFORD – Chief James Spinney reports that the Chelmsford Police Department is actively investigating after a large police response was summoned by a hoax 911 call reporting an act of violence.
At about 12:17 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, Chelmsford Police received a 911 call during which they caller told dispatchers that they intended to cause harm and inflict damage at Chelmsford High School.
Following established policies and procedures, police responded to the school.
Chelmsford High School immediately activated a “hold in place” order as Chelmsford Police extensively searched school grounds and secured the building.
Police soon determined that the call was a hoax. It subsequently lifted the “hold in place” order after determining there was no threat to the school community.
The incident is being investigated by the Chelmsford Police Department as an act of “swatting,” which according to Oxford Language is “the action or practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.” The phrase entered the dictionary in 2015 and has been recognized as a criminal phenomenon by the FBI since at least 2008.
While there is no indication of any ongoing threat to the school community, police will remain at the high school through dismissal.
The incident remains under active investigation by the Chelmsford Police Department.
###