Law enforcement will be increasing security at Springfield City Schools following a series of bomb threats and safety concerns reported on Monday.
Starting Tuesday, Ohio Highway Patrol troopers, Springfield police, and other agencies will conduct daily safety sweeps at all 17 school buildings.
The checks will happen before students arrive and again after the school day ends to help ensure the safety of students and staff.
The added security comes after Monday’s incident, when authorities investigated multiple bomb threats and reports of suspicious packages.
The threats led to downtown Springfield closures and the early dismissal of Springfield City School District students.
According to officials, several emailed bomb threats referenced pipe bombs and included language targeting Haitian immigrants.
As a result, government buildings were evacuated, and parts of downtown Springfield were blocked off early Monday morning.
The City of Springfield asked residents and visitors to avoid the downtown area near municipal courts and public safety buildings while the investigation was underway.
Several streets were temporarily closed before reopening later in the day.
After extensive checks, officials said no credible explosive threat was found, and the downtown area was declared safe.
Springfield City Schools dismissed students early Monday “out of an abundance of caution”.
Governor Mike DeWine said some of the threats mentioned Haitian immigrants and confirmed that the FBI and a bomb squad were assisting local authorities.
Springfield has received national attention in recent years due to immigration-related tensions, including false threats and evacuations tied to claims about the local Haitian community, which city leaders have repeatedly condemned.
