School In Bergen County Locked Down After 'Serious Threat': Police

ENGLEWOOD, NJ — A school in Englewood was temporarily shut down Tuesday morning when someone phoned in a threat, police said late Tuesday.

Police got a call around 7:30 a.m. reporting a "serious threat" at Dwight Morrow High School on Knickerbocker Road, said Police Chief Thomas Greeley.

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Police from several towns responded to the school, he said in a statement.

"After ensuring the safety of everyone inside, responding officers conducted a thorough search of the buildings and determined that the area was safe," Greeley said.

Englewood's Detective Bureau is still investigating, but believes the call to be a "swatting" incident, Greeley said.

Swatting is the act of making a false report to law enforcement to trigger a large response, often by claiming there's an immediate threat, such as a shooter.

Officials say the practice is dangerous. For one, it can take law enforcement away from situations where they are needed, and it puts victims at risk. For instance, in 2022, police rushed to a home in Maplewood due to a report of a shooting, and demanded via loudspeaker that the occupants come out. A man, woman, and toddler emerged, with no idea what was happening. READ MORE: Maplewood 'Swatting' Incident Drives Family From Home

Last year, a teenager in California was sentenced to four years in prison for making more than 300 "swatting" calls to schools and other institutions.

Several North Jersey high schools received apparent "swatting" calls back in February and March of this year, including in Hoboken, Westfield, and Glen Rock, authorities said at the time. READ MORE: Glen Rock High School Goes Into Lockdown Due To Hoax: Police

Patch has reached out to see if there have been arrests and whether students were present Tuesday. This story will be updated if more details are available.