Suicide Hotline Procedures Enacted In Scare At Edmond Middle School

Classes were back to normal Tuesday at an Edmond middle school after a scare on campus Monday night. Police say an employee called the suicide hotline, making threats to harm himself and others.

11/20/2012 Related Story: Edmond School Employee Removed After Allegedly Making Threats

That employee called the suicide hotline, Heartline 211, from the Sequoyah Middle School campus Monday evening. Officers from Edmond Police Department's Crisis Intervention Team responded, and got the employee the help he needed.

Police say this case is an example that the suicide hotline worked.

The call came from inside the school. The district says a Sequoyah employee threatened suicide and harm to others.

Police say the employee didn't have a weapon, and officers with mental health training were able to evaluate him in a classroom.

"The officers from the Crisis Intervention Team are officers that receive additional training, in particular dealing with people with mental health issues," said Capt. Tim Dorsey. "They go to a 40-hour school and then receive continuing education each year."

Those officers took the employee into protective custody, and we're told he's receiving treatment at a medical facility.

"Although I think this could've kind of come out as a scary situation or call last night, it really worked out okay," Capt. Dorsey says, "nobody got hurt, he was in need of help and called 211. They referred him to us, and we were able to ultimately do an evaluation and hopefully get him help that he needed."

Edmond Public Schools sent a letter home to parents Tuesday to explain what happened. Apparently there was word of a gas leak on campus, but the district clarified police were only on campus to investigate this particular call.

School leaders say that employee was not in contact with any students after he made the call.

We're told the district is still investigating the matter.