When it comes to threats of school violence, your true intention does not matter

by Johnnie Torres, Jr., Chief of Police

Readers are no doubt aware of a recent incident in which a threat of violence at Stockbridge High School was reported. Sadly, violence in schools is occurring all too often across our nation. The good news is that it rarely happens in Stockbridge. But when it does, it creates great fear in the community, and with good reason. Few things strike the collective nerve of a community like violence against our children.

Since I’ve been employed here, I have had to investigate a few of these complaints, and when the accused was identified and questioned about the threats made, all of the students said the same thing…. “I didn’t mean it.”  ”I wasn’t really going to do anything.”  Whether a person meant it or not doesn’t matter according to the way the law reads.

THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (750.543M) states:

Making terrorist threat or false report of terrorism; intent or capability as defense prohibited; violation as felony; penalty.

Sec. 543m.

(1) A person is guilty of making a terrorist threat or of making a false report of terrorism if the person does either of the following:

(a) Threatens to commit an act of terrorism and communicates the threat to any other person.

(b) Knowingly makes a false report of an act of terrorism and communicates the false report to any other person, knowing the report is false.

(2) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant did not have the INTENT or capability of committing the act of terrorism.

(3) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $20,000.00, or both.

Whether a person truly intended to do harm or not does not matter!

Simply communicating the threat is a 20-year felony crime. When this crime is committed there will be serious consequences for the person, the least of which is expulsion from school. More than likely, there will be time spent in a juvenile detention center with lengthy counseling, probation, and other impositions ordered by the court.

Students, if you do this sort of thing, expect to suffer long-lasting, negative effects on your lives.

Being a student can be challenging, but it should be the time of your life.

For those students, parents, or community members who hear of someone making threats or even thinking of making a threat of violence in our schools (or anywhere for that matter) please do not stand silent. Don’t mind your own business because the safety of our community is not just the responsibility of law enforcement: It is everyone’s responsibility.

Call the police department or the school. Use systems already set up to make a complaint such as OK2SAY. You do not have to leave your name if you do not want to but please, I implore you, do not be silent.

Be vigilant! Be safe!

Chief Torres

Chief Torres, a native of Flint, began his career as a reserve police officer before joining the City of Lansing Police where he served for more than 14 years. He joined the Stockbridge Police Department in 2009 and became its chief in 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint and is married with two adult children.