Infographic by Charlotte Braden

On Sunday, March 15, California Lutheran University received a bomb threat from an undisclosed source that prompted a coordinated response from both Campus Safety and local law enforcement, Director of Campus Safety David Hilke said in an email interview. 

After a full sweep of campus facilities by the Ventura County Police Department and Campus Safety, the threat was deemed a false alarm, according to a follow-up CLU Alert.

The following Tuesday, March 17, Westlake High School, located fewer than three miles from Cal Lutheran’s Westlake Center satellite campus, went into a “soft lockdown” following a threatening phone call. Westlake High School students did not transition from class to class and all entry points to the campus were locked. While the lockdown was lifted shortly after it was implemented, police remained on campus for the remainder of the day, according to KTLA coverage.

Michael Panesis, executive director of the Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, said the center’s operations were unaffected by both threats. 

“The main campus is so much bigger. I think it’s more of a target than we are,” Panesis said. “When there’s a lockdown like that, it’s not our call; it’s Campus Safety’s call, and we haven’t had to lock Hub101 down ever, thank goodness.”

Hilke said the March 15 threat originated from a series of phone calls placed to the university’s general phone number, which routes to Campus Safety during off hours. Hilke said Campus Safety received four phone calls from an individual stating there was a bomb on campus. 

The threat was not directed at a specific location, Hilke said, so more general response measures were taken. 

“Campus Safety officers gather as much information as possible from the caller, including the phone number, caller identity (if available), the location of the device, the type of device, the timing of a potential detonation and the reason for the threat,” Hilke said. 

Ryan Van Ommeren, associate vice president of Planning and Services, said standard protocol when the university receives bomb threats is to contact law enforcement, hold an emergency discussion and determine action and message; after which it awaits law enforcement’s inspection and “all clear.”

Both Van Ommeren and Hilke said standard protocols would largely have remained unchanged even if campus had been occupied as normal, although Van Ommeren said there would’ve been additional instruction given to students who felt uncomfortable staying on campus while law enforcement did its scan. 

Hilke said in such situations officers gather as much information as possible from callers, including phone number, identity, device location, type of device and timing. 

Coordination with law enforcement was conducted through emergency channels, Van Ommeren said. While the university has direct contact numbers with local law enforcement, the incident was handled through 911 to ensure a rapid response. 

Hilke said Cal Lutheran conducts regular fire drills each semester and holds emergency exercises at an emergency operation center to help prepare for a range of scenarios. 

Van Ommeren said the university utilizes a RAVE ALERT system in the event of emergency that allows it to quickly send emails and texts to university students and staff and can put messages up on various “warning beacon” screens in each building.

Hilke said relying on official university communications as opposed to unverified sources like social media speculation can help students ensure they are taking the most accurate information regarding potential emergencies on campus.