Police OK students, staff to return to Brookfield Elementary School after bomb threat

The Brookfield Police Department has cleared students and staff to return to Brookfield Elementary School after the school evacuated Wednesday afternoon following a bomb threat.

The school has been deemed safe after a search by officers and EOD K9 units, dogs that can detect explosives, from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, the police department said in a press release at 3:40 p.m.

Students will return to the elementary school via bus, the School District of Elmbrook alerted families and staff over email at 3:17 p.m.

"We anticipate regular end-of-day dismissal procedures and the Brookfield Police will continue to maintain a presence throughout the afternoon," the email said.

Any remaining law enforcement presence is there to provide traffic direction, police said.

All after school activities and after school day care will continue as planned, according to the district.

Police said the matter remains under investigation.

Wednesday's threat was received around 12:55 p.m., according to a news release from the police department. The threat made to the elementary school was the second in eight days that caused an evacuation at the school.

The district worked with the police to sweep the school with dogs, Chris Thompson, chief strategy officer for the School District of Elmbrook, told Brookfield Elementary families and staff members in an email Wednesday afternoon.

The school had asked that families not try to pick up their children from the evacuation site to help maintain order.

This is the second time in just over a week the school has received a phone threat that caused an evacuation. Police said this is similar to the swatting incident they investigated Tuesday, April 9. Swatting is placing a false emergency call to draw a large police presence to an address.

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Contact the reporter at bfogarty@gannett.com