Fridley schools credit SRO partnership after anonymous threats prompted multi‑agency response

Fridley Public School District officials said multiple anonymous threats targeting students, staff and the wider community forced the district to cancel classes for two days and suspend evening activities as law enforcement investigated.

Superintendent Dr. Lewis told the school board that the district received “multiple threats” and that the most disruptive period began when officials decided to cancel school at about 2:35 a.m. on the day in question. She said the district’s partnership with the Fridley Police Department helped manage the response and keep the community informed.

The nut graf: District leaders said the coordinated work between district staff and the Fridley Police Department, including school resource officers (SROs), reduced distractions, allowed staff to focus on safety and emotional support, and enabled students to return to campus activities within days.

Lieutenant Titus, who became the supervisor of the SROs on Jan. 1, described the response as intensive. “I think the day that the first threat came in, they got to work at 07:30, and they didn't get home that night until after 01:00 in the morning,” he said, praising the SROs and detectives who worked the case.

Dr. Lewis said the district and police limited public details because the matter remained under investigation and because of student privacy protections. “We are not going to get into things that are covered by the investigation,” she said, noting both law‑enforcement guidelines and superintendent licensure obligations constrained what could be shared publicly.

Officials said most messages and tips sent to the district came from outside Fridley and, in some cases, out of state. “Most of our outreach was people that don't live in Fridley, oftentimes people that don't live in the state,” Dr. Lewis said, and urged the community not to reshare threat screenshots to avoid amplifying false leads.

District and police leaders described the immediate effects on operations: two canceled school days, cancelled home activities, and heightened anxiety among students and staff. Dr. Lewis said the district coordinated enhanced mental‑health supports and created safe spaces where students could get water, snacks and check‑ins from adults they already knew. Rochelle Cox, senior officer of operations and system alignment, said supports were differentiated by grade level: more organic supports at elementary, more question‑and‑answer support at middle school, and different conversations at the high school level.

The presentation noted concrete community engagement outcomes: a “slow start” to resuming activities that allowed students to return gradually, a large dance and a one‑act festival that were attended as planned, and the resumption of regular routines that district leaders described as reassuring.

Board members and others thanked the SROs for their work. The superintendent said Chief George of Fridley Police was very ill and sent his regards; Lieutenant Titus and multiple SROs presented the board with a small gift and a photo opportunity later in the meeting. Board Chair (identified in the transcript as a board member speaking) said “we cannot thank the Fridley Police Department enough” and noted the transparency of communications helped the community feel safer.

Clarifying details from the presentation: the district enrolls “almost 3,000” students; four families directly contacted central office in the course of the incident; district leaders described a team of 19 Fridley Police representatives working on the matter; the district canceled school for two days and paused evening activities for those nights.

District leaders said they will continue to coordinate messaging with police so that public communications do not compromise investigations and to protect student privacy. They also said they would share lessons learned with other districts that sought guidance during the episode.

Ending: Board members praised the SROs’ relationships with students and staff and thanked district staff for arranging supports. District leaders said they would continue to prioritize coordinated communication and student supports as the investigation proceeds.