CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – When the Clay County Sheriff’s Office receives a tip or becomes aware of a school threat, they know it must be addressed and handled quickly.
RELATED: 37 students arrested for school threats in Duval County since August
Clay County Sheriff Director Patrick Golemme told News4JAX that as many as a dozen people are involved in every threat, including people from the sheriff’s office, the school district, and school resource officers.
Golemme also wants to remind kids that making threats toward a school or any other entity is a serious crime.
“You’re looking at a second-degree felony,” Golemme said. “You’re talking up to 15 years in prison, and the $10,000 fine is the parameter for that level of felony offense, which is pretty serious,” Golemme said.
He also said the process requires plenty of manpower.
“There are a lot of hours that we are talking about that go into this,” Clay County’s Sheriff Director said. “And there is a cost associated with that. But we have to make sure that they treat each and every one of these as a fresh, new incident.”
According to Golemme, the sheriff’s office has had to do a full assessment and home visit following a tip 73 times this year. Out of 73 assessments, deputies have arrested three individuals.
In Clay County alone, two students were arrested in October for making threats, including a 13-year-old Lake Asbury junior high school student who was accused of making threats of a killing spree over a breakup, and an 11-year-old from Swimming Pen Creek Elementary who was arrested after being accused of sending threatening text messages to another student.
Golemme says the student’s parents are “almost always” shocked when deputies arrive at their door and reveal the allegations.
“Almost 100% of the parents are surprised at the allegations,” he said.
He adds that the investigative process can be disruptive as deputies will visit the home of the student making the threats and conduct a thorough assessment that includes speaking with their parents and giving parents information on how to best protect guns in their homes.
In a message to the kids, Golemme advises them to take a moment, breathe, and think before they post anything to social media.