A firearms complaint prompted a precautionary lock down at Ecole HJ Cody school, March 30.
Principal Mike Garrow told Sylvan Lake News the lock down was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“Our lock down began at 11:30 a.m. and lasted for approximately 20 minutes until the RCMP informed us that they had located the person of interest and indicated it was safe to lift the lock down.”
The individual arrested was not in school or on school property and there are no concerns regarding students’ safety at the school, Garrow said.
“Police informed us there was no weapon, and there was no threat to the school or any of our students and staff.”
For incidents similar to the one that occurred at the school, Chinooks Edge School Division superintendent Kurt Sacher told Sylvan Lake News parents should have great confidence in knowing there are a number of procedures in place.
“People can rest assured that we are always going to err on the side of caution and so when there is any remote risk we’ll do what we need to do. So that is what HJ Cody did with a brief lock down just to make sure that everybody’s safety was taken care of.”
When situations like this happen they are always reviewed by the division so see if any changes need to be made to enhance the division’s safety procedures, Sacher said.
“The situation has been dealt with and we are confident moving forward; so at this time there is no need to make any changes we just need to move forward.”
During the incident a male youth was arrested in connection to the complaint received. From what the division has heard from police no weapon of any sort has been identified, Sacher said.
“I think people can feel very confident that the school is safe we’re ready to go and we have the full support of the RCMP to carry on and they did deal with the individual they needed to deal with so we are very comfortable moving forward,” Sacher said.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Sylvan Lake RCMP arrest male youth after firearms complaint
sarah.baker@blackpress.ca
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