Information on Swatting and Hoaxes
PA Criminal Intelligence Center
PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)
The Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center of the PA State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, has issued an ALERT for the education sector, related to swatting, hoax email threats, and in-real-life violent plots.
Since we have seen an uptick of these types of actions at postsecondary institutions over the past few days, we felt that it was important to get this information out to you quickly.
Please note that there are three additional attachments that can be viewed after you click on the ALERT—those attachments have additional details and information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
We understand that this information and these types of activities are alarming to the entire school community. The following resources may be helpful as you address concerns:
- The federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guide on Anonymized Threat Response Guidance—the worksheets at the end of the resource may be particularly helpful
- FBI “Think Before You Post” back-to-school information for students
- Mental Health America, Talking to Kids About School Safety
- PCCD Resources on K-12 Threat Assessment
Please reach out if we can assist with any specific questions or concerns. Thank you for all that you do to address school safety and security for your students, staff, and school communities.
PCCD School Safety and Security Team – RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov
Office of Research, Evaluation, and Strategic Policy Development (ORESPD)
PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)
3101 N. Front St. Harrisburg, PA 17110
