Students at Rockford Public School’s Belmont Elementary were escorted from the building by the Kent County Sheriff’s patrol staff and school resource officer after Kent County’s Communications Center after receiving a threat from an anonymous caller that an explosive device was inside the school.
The students were transported to Plainfield Township Offices while Belmont Elementary was searched. Parents were notified. No explosives were detected.
The call came in on the crisis hotline. In the past 24 to 48-hours, Kent County 9-1-1 has received four suspected “swatting” calls. Swatting is when someone calls 9-1-1 falsely reporting a serious crime creating a large police response.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office says three swatting calls involved Plainfield Township and one in Grand Rapids Township. The sheriff’s office says responses are causing significant community disruption.
The Grand Rapids Police Department is investigating swatting calls made in October.
Misuse of the 9-1-1 system and reporting false crimes are criminal offenses.