COLUMBUS, OH (WLIO) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol will be providing extra security to Springfield School District after 33 bomb threats have been made and found to be hoaxes.
DeWine says investigators say the source of the threats is coming from another country but would not say which country.
Governor Mike DeWine and state officials held a joint press conference to announce that 36 troopers from the Mobile Field Force will be assigned to the 18 school buildings to search every morning and provide added security throughout the day. The threats came after city officials debunked rumors that Haitian people were stealing pets to eat. And the person who made the social media post that started that rumor says it was false.
DeWine says investigators say the source of the threats is coming from another country but would not say which country.
Governor Mike DeWine and state officials held a joint press conference to announce that 36 troopers from the Mobile Field Force will be assigned to the 18 school buildings.
"The people that are doing this are doing this to sow discord in our community and disrupt our ability to do our normal functions that have to do," says Andy Wilson, Dir. of Ohio Department of Public Safety. "And we cannot, we can't let them do that. We have to keep providing the services that the citizens of Springfield and Clark County expect."
Dewine says the influx of 15,000 Haitians has put a strain on resources like health care. But they are in Springfield legally.
"The Haitians that are working, they wouldn't be working unless they were legal. Companies hire them because they needed their help and they needed the support. So, these are people that care about their families. These are people that value education. They are hard workers and we should respect that," says Gov. DeWine.
Ohio Homeland Security will conduct vulnerability assessments on infrastructure around Springfield, and provide tower cameras for the police department to use.
September 16, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: (SPRINGFIELD, Ohio)— Following a series of unfounded bomb threats made to schools within the Springfield City School District, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that he has authorized a contingent of troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Mobile Field Force to provide added security at each of the district's 18 school buildings.
"Many of these threats are coming in from overseas, made by those who want to fuel the current discord surrounding Springfield. We cannot let the bad guys win," said Governor DeWine. "We must take every threat seriously, but children deserve to be in school, and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe. The added security will help ease some of the fears caused by these hoaxes."
Beginning tomorrow and continuing for the foreseeable future, 36 troopers will be stationed throughout the Springfield City School District. Troopers will sweep each building for threats before students and faculty arrive and will stay on-site to provide security throughout the school day and during dismissal.
"None of the threats that have come in to Springfield to date have been legitimate. We're doing this purely as a precaution to prevent further disruption within the Springfield City School District," said Governor DeWine.
Governor DeWine also directed Ohio Homeland Security to begin conducting vulnerability assessments on critical infrastructure in Springfield and to provide various tower cameras for use by the Springfield Police Department to enhance situational awareness. The Ohio Department of Public Safety has also arranged for bomb detection dogs to be stationed in Springfield each day.
Due to the recent influx of Haitian migrants to Springfield, Governor DeWine last week dedicated $2.5 million toward expanding primary healthcare access in Springfield and directed the Ohio State Highway Patrol to support the local police with traffic enforcement.
