Planned Lockdowns at High School, Ottoson on Friday Morning
The schools requested a search using police dogs at each building, according to Arlington Police Capt. Rich Flynn.
Editor's note: Article updated at 12:44 p.m. on Friday.
Arlington High School and Ottoson Middle School were locked down on Friday morning while police searched each building with K-9 units, Arlington Police Capt. Rich Flynn said.
Each search was a planned lockdown based on requests from the schools to search those buildings, Flynn said.
"Those were planned events, nothing to be frightened about and everything turned out just fine," he said.
Arlington High School interim principal Mary Villano said that the school runs a practice lockdown every year and Friday's served as this year's practice run. The K-9 units and officers from other communities get a chance to familiarize themselves with the building in case of an actual emergency.
"We’re not looking for anything in particular, nothing has come up that we think we need to look for … just kind of a routine experience," Villano said.
Flynn said no items were confiscated during the search and police are waiting to receive reports back from the dog handlers.
"Everything went off without incident," he said.
In This article
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Arlington High School
869 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA -
Ottoson Middle School
63 Acton St, Arlington, MA -
Community Safety Building
112 Mystic St # A, Arlington, MA
Duds
12:05 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
drugs?....weapons?...something else?....gimme a hint here
Walt Smith
12:37 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Moonbats hiding in lockers?
gregg michael rapp
9:47 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
good one
Old Lady
1:03 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
What a waste of money and town resources!
Duds
2:37 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
still have no clue what this is about....more DETAIL Patch....please
Duds
2:39 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
In the words of the principal..."We're not looking for anything in particular....just kind of a routine experience"...HUH?
Tim
4:12 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Too funny yeah let's have a planned lock down but not tell the participants we are having one ...who do these people think they are fooling ??? The silly moonbats might believe them .. Yeah the Lowell K9 unit has nothing better to do then to come to Arlington to play... Silly Rabbits Trixs are for kids.. They aren't looking for anymore evidence against the Boss's Boss . Now back to the Roadrunner and Coyote ..... Beep Beep
l. klaczyk
7:13 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
The "powers that be" might have been aware this was a "planned drill" but that didn't help calm the anxiety of some parents who'd heard from their kids "AHS is on lockdown". Seems to me the District could've easily sent a robo-call to parents saying something like "the middle and high schools are having a planned lockdown drill" while the drills were taking place. If the robo-call and the drills were to happen simultaneously there'd be no chance of anyone "sabotaging" the drills.
A resident
2:08 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
The real issue here is that students should NOT be texting during school hours. Fire drills have been happening since the beginning of time, this is no different. The texting is what's inappropriate.
Stephanie
12:47 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
Does anyone else but me get sick and tired of all the complaints about anything and everything. I'm sure the "powers to be" knew what they were doing. That's their job. I am sure that if there was some sort of disaster happening, all parents would have been notified. I agree with "a resident". What are phones doing in the classroom??? The kids are there to learn. Does anyone really think those phones aren't being used by the students while a teacher is trying to do their job, and teach??? Parents were anxious ???? I think we need to let the "powers-to-be" do their job, and trust their judgment. I am sure none of the students suffered psychological damage as a result of this....in fact, they probably enjoyed the time away from the classroom while this was going on. It isn't like they're not used to drills. It's some parents who really need to get a grip !!!
Duds
2:35 pm on Friday, November 30, 2012
Then why did the principal say "not looking for anything"....."just kind of a routine experience"? If she had said we are looking for drugs and booze that the kids may have hidden...I'd buy that. I just don't understand the need for deception. Guess I'm just an illiterate "wingnut" townie eh?