Delaware Valley sees uptick in swatting incidents at schools, Jewish centers, airports

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. - Swatting bomb threats are happening across the country and in the Delaware Valley. This week, multiple townships have reported incidents of swatting at schools and police are on a heightened alert.

The Central Bucks School District sent a letter to its district families announcing that they, too, received an emailed bomb threat. Even though it has been deemed non-credible by the Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center, the district says it’s taking these situations seriously and that the false report is meant to illicit an emergency response where no emergency exists.

"They want to cause disruption to people’s daily lives and instill fear," says William Monaghan, Executive Director of JFed Security, an agency of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey. In addition to schools, there has been an uptick in these types of threats to airports and Jewish centers. Monaghan says Jewish worship centers are always on alert due to a rise in antisemitism, but especially this week ahead of the high holiday Yom Kippur.

"It’s important for us to be, both, proactive in what we do and also to leverage relationships that we have with local, county, and state law enforcement as well as federal law enforcement to ensure we all work together to provide multiple layers of security," explains Monaghan.

Mom of three, Danielle Popolizio, of Abington, Pa., says she feels better knowing that her Cheltenham synagogue sits across from the local police station, but still finds it all unsettling.

"The most mundane things now seem scary, but especially, being at a synagogue with young kids. It feels like you’re always looking over your shoulder," says Popolizio.

The Bensalem Township Police Department also put out a statement saying that while they have not received a threat in their jurisdiction, they are working with the local school district to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.

Anyone with any information about these threats should call police.