Delta police as a precaution temporarily held a “hold and secure” on a pair of North Delta schools earlier today after a report of a suspicious person.
Sands Secondary on 82nd Avenue and nearby Gray Elementary went through the protocol. Police say no suspicious person was found in the area and the schools were open back for regular business a short time later.
Last Friday afternoon just after school ended, police had the grounds of Pinewood Elementary cleared after a report of a suspicion person at the adjacent Watershed Park. In that case, the suspicious person was not located.
Last fall, Delta school district launched its new emergency protocols and procedures, a change after 15 years which included the familiar, but somewhat vague ‘code green, code yellow and code red’ procedures. Through consultation with DPD and other partners, the school district transitioned to new terminology that now includes:
Hold & secure: used if there is a security concern in the neighbourhood
Lockdown: used in response to an armed or dangerous assailant within the school
Room clear: used to move people away from a hazard contained in one room/area.
Evacuate: used to move people out of the school when a hazard exists inside
Shelter in place: used if an environmental hazard may impact the school
Drop, cover & hold on: used in the event of an earthquake, explosion, or any event that shakes the school.
