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After swatting call, Upper Darby reviews response: weapon scanners, threat assessments and mental‑health supports highlighted
Summary
District safety officials described a swatting incident that prompted an evacuation and a two‑hour K‑9 sweep, reviewed weapon-detection results and outlined mental‑health, threat assessment and communication procedures to the board's Education and Pupil Services Committee.
Upper Darby School District officials told the Education and Pupil Services Committee they responded to an anonymous “swatting” call that combined outside threats and a reported bomb threat, and they used that incident to outline current safety systems, threat-assessment practices and mental-health supports.
Director of Public Safety Anthony Vaughn described the district’s incident-response terminology and most recent events. “A lockdown will occur when there is a crisis inside or outside the school…Active shooter,” Vaughn explained in his presentation, noting that lockouts (outside threats) and lockins (internal events) require different responses.
On a recent Friday, Vaughn said county emergency dispatch and local police relayed anonymous reports alleging an active shooter and a bomb threat at one of the district’s buildings. Local police secured the perimeter, flew a drone to assess the roof, and brought K‑9 teams that completed a floor‑by‑floor sweep; Vaughn said the scan took roughly two hours and no explosive device was found. The incident was a swatting event—an anonymous, scrambled tip sent from outside the region.
What the district told the board
- Communication and tools: Vaughn and Superintendent Dr. McGarry said the district uses CrisisGo for rapid incident notifications and is phasing out the county DelPass hardware as the county system reaches end of life. They said DelPass hardware still functions in buildings but cannot be repaired indefinitely. An MOU with local law enforcement governs information sharing during incidents; officials said they verify credentials before sharing sensitive information with outside agencies such as the FBI or immigration authorities.
- Weapon detection and visitor screening: The district installed nine weapon-detection systems (metal-detection archways) in secondary schools and the stadium last year. Administrators said the system has processed more than one million visitors since December 2024 and produced roughly 1,005 alerts overall; typical triggers include laptop metal, eyeglass cases and umbrellas. Vaughn reported small numbers of contraband detected in the period cited (one pepper spray, three knives/box cutters) and a continuing high incidence of vapes collected on campus.
- Threat assessments and mental‑health supports: The district conducts threat assessments under board policy and has seen high volumes—373 threat assessments the previous school year. Officials also described expanded mental-health staffing (social workers and guidance counselors across schools), a Student Assistance Program (SAP) for students in disciplinary processes, and staff training in youth mental-health first aid. The district said it will expand community-facing trainings and partner with county Children & Youth Services for additional in-school resources to address truancy and behavioral needs.
- Title IX and investigations: The administration reiterated that Title IX investigations follow a defined process with designated coordinators (the district’s transcript names Miss Simpson and Miss Wendy Elgart as the Title IX staff) and that both complainant and respondent receive due-process rights under the procedures.
Board questions and next steps
Board members pressed on timeliness of incident communications and asked whether DelPass buttons are visible throughout buildings. Administrators replied that CrisisGo provides more immediate, flexible notifications and that many school police partners also have CrisisGo access. Vaughn said the district would tighten some communication steps after debriefing with police.
Administrators also discussed options to reduce after‑school unsafe activity (earlier game times, parental engagement, more student after‑school activities) and said discipline is a last resort because removing students from school can worsen out‑of‑school behaviors. The district said it will continue cross‑training with police and emergency responders, expand public mental‑health trainings, and present updates on safety and communications in future meetings.
