By Casey Neill
A bomb hoax prompted a full evacuation at Dandenong Primary.
Acting Inspector Tim Hardiman said police were called to the Foster Street school at 2.22pm on Tuesday 29 May.
He said the school had received a phone call “relating to the possibility of a bomb” a short time earlier.
“Police take all these reports extremely seriously,” he said.
Act Insp Hardiman said the school implemented Education Department procedures and evacuated students and staff to a neighbouring oval.
“The first process is to remove everybody from the immediate area,” he said.
“Then police move in and conduct a thorough search.”
He said Dandenong officers thoroughly searched the school under the watch of a sergeant and cleared the scene about 4.30pm.
“It was deemed to be a hoax,” he said.
“No one’s going to take risks with kids.
“We take all of them really seriously until we can determine one way or the other.”
A post on the Dandenong Primary School Facebook page said “the safety of our students is our number one priority and so we enacted our evacuation procedures”.
“Students and staff responded exactly as we have practiced earlier this year, in a calm and orderly fashion,” it said.
“Well done to all children and staff involved.”
Act Insp Hardiman said school resumed as normal on Wednesday.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” he said.
He appealed for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
