3rd bomb threat closes

Brookdale sites, again

MIDDLETOWN — School closings are becomingly increasingly too familiar at Brookdale Community College, after a third bomb threat in less than a month closed the school on Thursday.

The school closed its main campus in Lincroft and its extension sites in Hazlet, Freehold Township, Long Branch and Asbury Park at 3:30 p.m. to enable a comprehensive safety evaluation of all facilities following the bomb threat, which was reportedly telephoned in some time in the morning and left on a voice mail in the public relations office.

The campuses were closed shortly after the message was discovered in the early afternoon.

The school remained closed while authorities investigated the threat. Representatives from the campus police, as well as the local police, municipal and state emergency personnel, worked together to sweep each building, using specially trained dogs. In addition, police and emergency officials carefully examined each area searching for anything that may be regarded as suspicious.

Following the search, the school opened as regularly scheduled on Friday, but not before the schools Board of Trustees canceled its meeting on Thursday night.

The school also closed on Feb. 17 and Feb. 27 following bomb threats. However, no explosives were found at those times. Following the Feb. 27 threat, the school was closed for a period of 24 hours.

According to the school’s college relations staff, the investigation in regard to all three threats will continue in cooperation with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and other appropriate law enforcement bodies.

Brookdale’s president, Peter Burnham, decided to close the school following all three threats after consulting with various administrative officials, as well as the campus police and other emergency officials.

"The college maintains a conservative policy regarding these types of incidents," he said. "Our foremost concern is always for the health, safety and security of our campus community."

Students and faculty members were informed about the closing through the local media, the college’s Web site and the phone mail system.

– Doug McKenzie