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Bashaw RCMP arrest youth in threat to Alix-MAC School

Wolf Creek Schools and RCMP work together to mitigate risk
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One student was arrested after a threat to the Alix-MAC School was reported on Dec. 22. WCPS stated the threat was ‘worrisome’ and steps were taken to protect staff and students. Google Maps photo

One student was arrested, and is now facing charges, after a threat to the Alix-MAC School was reported on Dec. 22.

The student at Alix-Mac School has been charged with uttering threats and possession of a dangerous weapon as a result of the investigation. The student can not be named and no date was available on a court appearance.

The incident began around 9 a.m. with Bashaw RCMP called to follow up on alleged threats made to harm other students.

Fortunately, there were only a small number of staff and students inside the school, but the facility was placed in a ‘hold and secure’ mode as a precaution.

School staff as well as administration of Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) worked together with the RCMP to ensure everyone was safe while the investigation was conducted.

Members of the Bashaw RCMP, with assistance from both the Stettler and Blackfalds detachments, arrested a 15-year-old boy from the school. No one was harmed in the incident.

WCPS did send out a letter to parents, which stated the online threat was made via a post on Snapchat. WCPS went on to state it was a veiled threat made toward the school and that safety and security protocols were immediately implemented.

Administration followed WCPS Procedure 106, (Protocol for Schools Dealing with Threat and Risk Assessment) to ensure the safety of students was met.

“Threat Risk Assessment (TRA) protocols are activated to determine level of risk, collaboration with partnering agencies, and to determine immediate and long-term actions to keep students and schools safe,” states the policy.

There are two major stages to the TRA — school readiness before a threat and administrative directive during a threat — with each one following a series of processes.

For the latter, there are several evaluation steps and then stages once the assessment has been done. In this case, the imminent threat was ‘worrisome’ and defines behaviours that may indicate a student is “moving toward a great risk of violent behaviour.”

These can include verbal threats or physical violence or as in this case, electronic threats. Worrisome behaviour is categorized as a low level of concern in the policy.

WCPS, noting there was no imminent danger, did take the threat seriously as the safety to ensure the safety of staff and students. It also noted the student involved has been formally dealt with by police and that WCPS has a zero tolerance policy for not responding to threat-making or related behaviours.

During a threat there are three stages of action with steps to follow in each process that administration takes:

Stage 1: Gathering information directly related to the incident and ensure security steps are followed.

Stage 2: Further data collection and implementation of working with police and other community agencies as needed. These include working with the principal and social workers.

Stage 3: Following the information gathering an intervention plan is set into place.

WCPS then goes through a storage of information and follow-up process.