Repeated Threats Close Sandpoint Schools High School, Middle School To Reopen Monday After Major Security Overhaul

After three days of bomb threats and the discovery of explosives in a former student’s home, school officials will aggressively tighten security at Sandpoint’s high and middle schools.

Students from the two schools have the rest of this week off as officials install security cameras, new locks and parking lot gates and post 24-hour security guards.

“We’re trying to make the buildings secure so kids can come in and relax,” Superintendent Roy Rummler said at a press conference Wednesday. “I’d like to have parents and students feel safe and secure.”

While school officials were making security arrangements, police continued their investigation into the recent string of bomb threats.

The latest threat came at about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday. The call was traced to a phone within the school, said Sandpoint police detective Andy Anderson.

After that call, school officials requested the assistance of a bomb-sniffing dog from Fairchild Air Force Base.

“It seemed to be too frequent,” Rummler said of the bomb scares. “We wanted to make sure everything was OK.”

The dog and handler searched the school for bombs later that day. None were found.

Fears were fueled by false rumors that four explosive devices confiscated late Tuesday were destined for Sandpoint High School. The crude devices, made from modified fireworks, were found at a Bonner County home.

A 17-year-old boy who made the explosives moved them to a friend’s trailer on Wrenco Loop Road when rumors began circulating that he was the one calling in bomb threats, investigators said. Police and sheriff’s deputies found no link between the explosives and the bomb threats.

No arrests had been made late Wednesday in either case, but police reportedly had a warrant for the arrest of a person believed to have made the first bomb threat Friday afternoon. That call was made from a phone booth.

The second call was made Monday morning by a female caller, and police believe there may be a loose connection between the two callers.

“We’re working with parents on that” second caller, Anderson said.

Investigators from both departments said they planned to forward their findings to the county prosecutor’s office for possible charges. Prosecutor Phil Robinson refused to comment Wednesday.

Sheriff’s deputies learned of the explosives from school officials, who were told by a tipster who watched while two teenagers tested homemade explosives on a small tree.

Bonner County sheriff’s detectives used the information to get a search warrant for a trailer off Wrenco Loop Road. Officers from the Spokane City-County Bomb Squad found four crude explosive devices, said sheriff’s detective Harvey Thompson.

One of the devices was made from a small carbon dioxide cartridge - the type commonly used for BB guns. Investigators believe the cartridge had been filled with firecracker powder.

A tinfoil ball the size of a softball also was found. The ball had been filled with firecracker powder and had a fuse, investigators said. Two other contraptions fashioned out of fireworks also were taken, Thompson said.

“There were three in there that would have been dingers,” Roos said. “We’re not talking blowing buildings down, but they would have raised a little hell.”

Investigators questioned an 18-year-old man who lived in the trailer where the explosives were found. However, it is unlikely the man, who was not identified, will face charges because he hasn’t broken a county law. Under Idaho law, possession of explosives is legal, unless authorities have evidence the explosives would have been used in a crime.

Late Wednesday, Thompson said he questioned the 17-year-old boy who admitted building the explosives. The boy said he tore apart commercial fireworks to make the devices, but he did not intend to bring them to the school, according to Thompson.

The boy could face a misdemeanor charge for possessing an unregistered explosive within the city limits, Bonner County Sheriff Chip Roos said.

Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Spokane were initially called Tuesday to assist Bonner County, but they are no longer involved.

Since the bomb threats began, teachers, students and parents have been on edge.

When a truck backfired near Sandpoint High Monday afternoon, school officials called 911 and five police cars responded.

Many students and families were touched by the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., where two students went on a killing rampage last month. Former Sandpoint students Lexis and Elsa Coffee-Berg had transferred to Columbine and were in the school when the tragedy unfolded. Their family is well-known in Sandpoint.

“The children realize that the potential is there for something real dangerous,” said Tim Moore, parent of a Sandpoint High student. “They’re worried, but not hysterical or anything like that.”

Moore said he has confidence that the school administration knows what it’s doing and “is doing as well as they can under the circumstances.”

Other Sandpoint area parents removed their children from school after Monday’s evacuation, and they have not returned.

“My son said if he was sure he could get all of his credits, he’d prefer to be home-schooled,” said Michele Hefley, who made it clear that’s her preference, too.

The new security measures are little comfort to Hefley, who is also concerned about her son’s education.

“That’s a great learning environment,” she said sarcastically. “Let’s just send our kids to prison and tell them, `Now concentrate on your geometry.”’ Rummler said the necessity of the security measures saddens him. Middle school teacher Enid Trenholm’s reaction was similar.

“It’s unfortunate that it has to be done, but given the circumstances, I don’t see how we cannot install some more safety for the students’, the faculty’s and for the parents’ peace of mind,” Trenholm said.

“It’s pathetic,” Sheriff Roos said. “Probably 99 percent of those kids just want to go to school.”

Some students expressed relief at the plans, while they enjoyed their unexpected break from classes.

“We’ll feel safe,” said Crystal Murray, an eighth-grader who was buying jelly beans and Beanie Babies with her friends downtown Wednesday afternoon. “At least we’ll have some security.”

Senior Paul Nieman, who spent the afternoon at home, called the efforts a good start.

“If there are people there 24 hours a day, it would be a lot harder to plant a bomb,” he said.

But pranksters could still call in a bomb scare. Educators, students and authorities are hoping that the culprits will soon be arrested and prosecuted.

“There needs to be some definite, swift types of punishment,” Trenholm said. “It’s serious.”

THE PLAN More security School officials have canceled classes at Sandpoint High and Sandpoint Middle School until Monday to carry out the following security plan: Install security cameras in the high school; Install special locks on school entrances and exits that will require identification card keys for faculty; Change all the locks at both schools; Install security gates at the entrances to the parking lots for both schools, which will be staffed by guards; Arrange for 24-hour security guards; Fine-tune and coordinate emergency plans for both schools and provide them to parents; Prepare to record all incoming phone calls. Tracing calls will continue in the case of bomb threats. School officials do not know the cost of the security measures, nor are they sure how they’ll pay for them. The district has established an account called the Security Fund and is accepting donations.

Bill Morlin contributed to this report.