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Jared Burger apparently “had an association with students” at the school and made the threat “in response to a disagreement via social media which had gone on for several days,” Police Chief Dean Ackermann said.
Principal John Arlotta "reported receiving information concerning [the threat]," Ackermann said.
Glen Rock patrols, along with a Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Fair Lawn police immediately responded -- with borough firefighters and the ambulance corps placed on standby as a precaution, he said.
School officials first evacuated and then locked down the school. A large police presence followed.
“It was quickly determined by investigators that the nature of the communication did not pose a viable threat,” Ackermann said. “Out of an abundance of caution, officers remained on scene through the remainder of the school day.”
Although detectives determined that Burger -- the son of a police officer -- “had neither the ability nor the intent to carry out the threat,” the chief said, they still charged him with one count of causing a false public alarm.
Burger was released on his own recognizance pending a Nov. 3 appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
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