School-violence threat response slow, police say

Associated Press - November 16, 2009 7:04 PM ET

GREENWOOD, Ark. (AP) - Police reports say Greenwood school officials took too long to notify police about a suicide threat by a school employee that could have endangered students and teachers.

The school's principal says she now realizes she should have acted more swiftly, according to an officer's report.

Police reports say that a Westwood Elementary School employee threatened suicide Oct. 1. The reports say the threats were made at 3 p.m. or earlier, but police weren't notified until 4:45 p.m.

Greenwood officer Brad Hobbs said in a report that Principal Sarah Turner was upset at the number of officers who showed up. Hobbs wrote that Turner later apologized. His report said Turner didn't want to embarrass the employee, but her first priority should have been students' safety.

Efforts to obtain comment from Turner were unsuccessful Monday. There was no answer at the school late in the afternoon, and no telephone listing for her could be obtained.

Information from: Southwest Times Record, http://www.swtimes.com/

KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |School-violence threat response slow, police say

School-violence threat response slow, police say