Student outraged by lack of text message notification following library bomb threat
Rachel Shelton
Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: Opinion
Okay, so I have a huge bone to pick with Concord's police department, and I'm sure that I'm not the only student who feels this way. When I say I'm sure, I really am. Not one person with whom I have talked disagrees.
Monday, February 9, a bomb threat was called in to the Concord Library. Immediately, steps were taken by employees and police officers to evacuate the building. A bomb-sniffing dog and officers searched the library shortly thereafter. After being declared safe, the building remained closed the remainder of the night due to lack of personnel willing to work.
While the building was being searched, those employees asked to stand outside decided to leave. I can't say that I blame them one bit. I would have done the same thing. Now, here's the little problem I have.
I didn't hear anything about this bomb threat until my mom asked me about it that night. Yes, that's right, that night. I didn't receive any type of text message or e-mail from the university informing me that there was a possibly dangerous situation on campus, nor did any other student attending Concord University. What is wrong with this picture?
On the front page of The Concordian last week, police chief, Mark Stella, admits that the decision to inform students, faculty, and staff through the text message alert system was his to make. I like Chief Stella, but I'm baffled at his decision. The text message system is there for a reason other than to notify people about inclement weather. In fact, no such system even existed until after the shooting at Virginia Tech.
So why wasn't it utilized? It's just a shot in the dark, but I would say a bomb threat is a pretty significant reason to use this technological marvel. As students paying to attend Concord, whose lives could have been in danger, it seems that we all had a right to know about such a threat.
Maybe I'm wrong. There may be a perfectly good explanation as to why we weren't informed about this. If such an explanation exists, I invite someone to write in about it. I know I sure am curious to find out what it is.
Monday, February 9, a bomb threat was called in to the Concord Library. Immediately, steps were taken by employees and police officers to evacuate the building. A bomb-sniffing dog and officers searched the library shortly thereafter. After being declared safe, the building remained closed the remainder of the night due to lack of personnel willing to work.
While the building was being searched, those employees asked to stand outside decided to leave. I can't say that I blame them one bit. I would have done the same thing. Now, here's the little problem I have.
I didn't hear anything about this bomb threat until my mom asked me about it that night. Yes, that's right, that night. I didn't receive any type of text message or e-mail from the university informing me that there was a possibly dangerous situation on campus, nor did any other student attending Concord University. What is wrong with this picture?
On the front page of The Concordian last week, police chief, Mark Stella, admits that the decision to inform students, faculty, and staff through the text message alert system was his to make. I like Chief Stella, but I'm baffled at his decision. The text message system is there for a reason other than to notify people about inclement weather. In fact, no such system even existed until after the shooting at Virginia Tech.
So why wasn't it utilized? It's just a shot in the dark, but I would say a bomb threat is a pretty significant reason to use this technological marvel. As students paying to attend Concord, whose lives could have been in danger, it seems that we all had a right to know about such a threat.
Maybe I'm wrong. There may be a perfectly good explanation as to why we weren't informed about this. If such an explanation exists, I invite someone to write in about it. I know I sure am curious to find out what it is.
Be the first to comment on this story