Police respond to calls of concern made to schools

Police are currently responding to calls of a concerning nature directed to a number of schools throughout the country.
 
The safety of students, teachers and schools are our priority. We understand the fear and concern that these calls cause, however we reiterate that so far we have not established any actual threat to any school.
 
Police are working with the schools' management teams to decide on the appropriate response.
 
It is believed, based on the information available to us at this time, that today's calls may be similar to those received earlier this year, which inquiries indicated originated overseas.
 
We should make it clear that while such calls may display a New Zealand number, they can still be originating from overseas.
 
Similar incidents have previously occurred overseas.
 
Until police can rule out any actual threat, we must take all these calls seriously and respond accordingly.
 
How a school responds to these calls is a matter for the schools' management in conjunction with police. Schools will respond differently according to their individual circumstances and the information available to them.
 
Police will not be disclosing the names of each school who has received a call today given the ongoing investigation and in the interest of preventing further such calls being made to other schools.
 
ENDS
 
Issued by Police Media Centre.