Bexley police describe 'swatting' bomb threats and await DOJ grant for synagogue security

At the May 12 Bexley City Council meeting, Chief Lewis updated council members on a recent string of bomb-threat calls he described as likely "swatting" attempts and outlined the department’s preparations and constraints.

When asked by Councilmember Hurley whether the threats were local, Chief Lewis said the department treats all threats as credible until deemed otherwise, but that the incidents the city has experienced “have been swatting attempts,” pointing to similar calls affecting zoos and schools across Central Ohio. He said Bexley has deployed a bomb-detection dog and coordinated closely with local schools on responses.

Chief Lewis warned investigators face challenges locating suspects and noted the department’s concern about artificial-intelligence tools that can complicate tracking: “I’m fearful though with AI that it makes it very challenging to find a suspect,” he said.

Separately, Chief Lewis told council that the City of Bexley, Otterbein and The Ohio State University received a Department of Justice grant decision to fund a dedicated position to support security at synagogues and related institutions. He emphasized that no grant funds have been released yet and that the city is in a holding pattern: staff have drafted the position description, assembled a candidate pool and are meeting with vendors for technologies such as drones and AI tools in preparation for when funds are distributed.

Council discussion did not record a vote on deployment or hiring; Chief Lewis said the jurisdiction is coordinating with partners and waiting for federal funding to be released before filling the position. The department will continue standard safety protocols in the meantime.