KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler and Blount County Sheriff James Berrong sat down with 10News Wednesday and discussed the impact recent school threats can have on law enforcement.
Law enforcement agencies take these threats seriously and investigate every single one, Spangler said. But the students who make the threats, even if they're not credible, might not understand the severity of their actions, he said.
"The resources are astronomical that go into this," Spangler said. "I don't think those individuals are thinking of that part of it."
Threats also cause disruptions in the classroom, he said.
"It takes away from the students that are in there trying to learn. It's taking away their education," he said.
Blount County Sheriff James Berrong also said that investigating school threats can take officers away from other duties in their communities.
"It takes away from their services to their communities — to protect the roads and residences and things of that nature," Berrong said. "Times have changed and this is very serious. We take every threat we get very seriously, and it takes a tremendous amount of resources."
The Knoxville Police Department said it will continue to work to keep the community safe.
"The Knoxville Police Department has and will continue to devote significant resources to respond to school safety concerns and investigate potential school threats," the department said in a statement. "It is our duty to address and alleviate any issues as they emerge that impact the safety, or perception of safety, in our community and the quality of life and well-being of residents to the best of our ability. That is our fundamental responsibility, and it is one that we take seriously."
Several threats have been reported across East Tennessee recently, and more than two dozen students have been taken into custody as a result of them. The threats were reported in Knox County, Anderson County, Hawkins County and several others.