School district honors officers who identified threatening call at Hilliard Elementary

Chief Smith, speaking for the Nassau County School District Police Department, commended two district officers on the board dais for identifying and mitigating a potential threat to Hilliard Elementary School on Feb. 26.

The board presented letters of accommodation to Officer Melissa Gibson and Officer Laurie Bond, whom Chief Smith credited with listening to a recorded message left on the school’s messaging line, reverse-searching the phone number, narrowing potential matches using the district’s records and identifying the student who made the call. Chief Smith told the board the officers’ actions “ensured the safety of the Hilliard Elementary School and its students on Wednesday, 02/26/2025.”

Chief Smith said the district’s police agency was founded in 2018 following statewide and national school-safety guidance and that many of the district’s officers are retired from other agencies. He described how Laurie Bond transitioned from an armed guardian role to a law-enforcement position with the district and why the district retained and continued the D.A.R.E. program with Officer Bond and Officer Gibson serving as instructors.

Officer Gibson was described as the school resource officer assigned to Hilliard Elementary. Chief Smith read the letter of accommodation to the board, saying in part: “Through your exceptional teamwork, keen investigative skills, and unwavering dedication, you successfully identified and mitigated a potential threat, ensuring the well-being of students, faculty, and staff.” The chief emphasized the officers’ experience and teamwork in quickly locating the caller.

Board members expressed appreciation for district law enforcement and noted the positive relationships officers build with elementary students. No formal board vote was recorded for the recognition; the presentation was made as part of the meeting’s spotlight segment.

The board gave the officers certificates of appreciation; Chief Smith asked the district to continue supporting the D.A.R.E. program and school resource officer assignments that integrate officers with elementary-school classrooms.