The level of frustration is growing among local law enforcement personnel after the latest bomb threat at the Estevan Comprehensive School.
Students were evacuated from the school Friday morning after a threat was found at ECS.
Chief Del Block said a threat indicating a bomb would be placed in the school Friday was found on the preceding Tuesday which prompted an investigation by the Estevan Police Service.
A second threat was made Friday morning which prompted the evacuation and subsequent search of the school by EPS members as well as local RCMP officers, members of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service and ECS staff. After the search was completed, the school was reopened at approximately 3 p.m.
"When we get these threats, we have to treat them from the start as being real," Block said. "After we do an assessment and search, we can scale it down but it has to be treated at the high end."
The EPS is continuing to investigate the incident and Block said they are growing increasingly frustrated with the threats and with the attitude of some students towards them.
"The people that are phoning these in who think it's a joke don't realize, or don't care, how serious it is. I had reports from the members who were on scene saying a lot of the students were laughing and cheering about being evacuated from the school because they were happy they were getting the day off or a few hours off," said Block.
"That is just the wrong approach totally. We need the students of the school to step up and realize when they go to school, they have a right to expect a safe environment. By laughing and joking about these things, they are promoting this type of stuff even though they are not directly involved. One of these days, and God forbid I hope it never happens, it could be a real one. If we had a bomb go off in the school and injure or kill some students and staff, it would be a tragic loss and then people would open their eyes and say we should have done something before.
"It's terribly frustrating for us. We take them all very seriously and investigate them fully and where we can gather enough evidence for charges, we certainly would lay charges."
Block added there is also a significant cost each time there is a threat as the City of Estevan must pay the wages of the firefighters who are brought on scene to help with the search and provide support. There are also costs involved with having EMS personnel on scene.
"We've got volunteer firefighters in town that are supported by businesses so the cost even goes back down that way that the businesses lose the production of those members while they are on the scene."
Last week's threat is the second this year and the latest in a string of threats that have occurred over the past few years at the school.
Block said the EPS may look at educating the students about the impact of such threats and might also ask the courts to provide harsher punishments for those convicted in these matters.
The investigation into last week's threat is ongoing and Block said if anyone has information they are asked to call the EPS or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.
