The Mar. 1 lockdown at 脡cole Bayside Middle School prompted the largest emergency response ever for School District 63. Sgt. Paul Brailey of Central Saanich Police said while there have been emergency calls to schools before, B次元官网网址渢his is probably the most substantial one weB次元官网网址檝e dealt with over the years.B次元官网网址�
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Brailey said a number of students had seen a possibly masked person in the bushes around Bayside that they believed had a firearm. He said a number of students provided similar, detailed descriptions, which was credible enough to warrant a response, but acknowledged that the potential weapon could have been a paintball gun or something similar. Police arrived around 11:15 a.m. No suspect was located after a four-hour search involving a K-9 unit and several police departments.
Brailey said standard protocol for any school lockdown is to secure the perimeter, then call the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT), which is comprised of officers from across the CRD. The Sidney/North Saanich RCMP assisted in containing the area.
B次元官网网址淭he main thing is making sure the schoolB次元官网网址檚 protected; secondary is the search of the area once we know the school is protected and no one can get in or out,B次元官网网址� said Brailey.
Brailey said schools typically do a lockdown drill once a year, where doors are locked, students will go under desks or into closets, blinds are shut, lights are turned off and the school goes silent.
While movement and noise is not allowed during a lockdown, a degree of movement is allowed during a B次元官网网址渉old and secureB次元官网网址� where students can move between classrooms or the washroom. There was a short period of time where the lockdown was about to be downgraded to a hold and secure, but ultimately did not occur.
There was a debrief for Bayside parents at 5 p.m., which Brailey was briefed on but did not attend. He said parents were concerned about the potentially traumatic experience for all children, and especially those with special needs, and that children were prevented from using the washroom during the lockdown. While Brailey was at the scene with other officers, B次元官网网址渁 lot of parents came up to us and said, B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址檙e glad that this is the response. WeB次元官网网址檙e glad these are all taken seriously.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hreats are one thing, but when a number of students who appeared credible when you spoke to them, with their description and detail, youB次元官网网址檝e got to believe the kids,B次元官网网址� he added.
SD63 assistant superintendent Scott Stinson, who attended along with superintendent Dave Eberwein, said in an interview that another concern was how SD63 communicated with parents as the situation unfolded. Tweets were issued by Central Saanich Police, updates were posted on the Bayside website and local media outlets were reporting from the scene. B次元官网网址淢ostly they were very appreciative that we respond how we do and how we took it seriously,B次元官网网址� said Stinson.
Stinson said the school was about to move to hold and secure at one point, but ultimately they were told to remain in lockdown until they students we released to parents a few minutes after 3:30 p.m. Stinson said police are in charge when a lockdown is in effect, so it is up to them to downgrade or not.
Police were there this morning, and counsellors are on site today for staff and students who found yesterday particularly challenging.
Terry Martens, whose daughter goes to Bayside, was outside waiting like many other parents. He was asleep having come home from a graveyard shift at work when he received texts and calls from other concerned parents. His daughter was able to send a text out around 11:50 a.m. that the school was in lockdown.
B次元官网网址淜ids arenB次元官网网址檛 supposed to have their phones in classes so I guess she must have had hers,B次元官网网址� he said.
When asked if he was tired of waiting, he said, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just kind of anxious to see my daughter.B次元官网网址�
There will be a debrief for emergency responders next week.
