A disturbing call received over the Loup JCC’s main phone line Monday, July 29, has launched a police investigation but did not warrant the facility’s closure.
“The caller made a very non-specific threat about the JCC,” Director Stuart Raynor told the IJN Tuesday. “It was not directed at any particular group of people at the JCC. It was a non-specific statement about the JCC.”
The center felt the communiqué was sufficiently unsettling to immediately contact the Denver Police Department and the ADL.
Police conducted a thorough search of the building with the help of staff and determined the JCC was not in any imminent danger.
“They concluded there was no reason to change our schedule, programming or the way we do business,” Raynor said.
On Monday, the JCC distributed emails outlining the situation to all its members.
“We agree with the police and our director of security and safety that there is not enough information to close our building or alter programming at this point in time,” the email read.
“However, we place the safety and well-being of our membership as our highest priority and therefore wanted to share this information with you. We will continue to maintain a high level of security and will keep you informed if anything were to change.”
Raynor would not divulge particulars of the phone call or whether it contained anti-Semitic overtones.
“We are motivated to inform our members [of these incidents] because we take our obligation to be transparent seriously,” he said. “But the police said there was no reason for us to do anything differently.”
Elucidating upon the high alert status at the JCC, Raynor said it entails enhanced security measures and heightened awareness.
“Anytime something like this happens, it makes you a little more cautious,” he said. “You look for anything that is out of place.”
Raynor said the JCC would close its doors only “when the authorities tell us to close them due to some kind of danger.
“Obviously, we are a large facility that has the word ‘Jewish’ in our name,” he said of the JCC’s potentiality as a target. “Other than that, I can’t say.”
The police investigation was still ongoing as of Tuesday, July 30.
Last September, a long-time Denver homeless resident made a passing comment about a “Jewish center.” Following lengthy interviews with the man, who had expressed negative thoughts about the Jewish people and Israel, authorities decided he was not a person of imminent concern.
The JCC “did it exactly right,” ADL Mountain States Regional Director Scott Levin told the IJN. “They notified the police and were very transparent with their membership.
“I applaud the JCC and local law enforcement for taking this threat seriously and reacting appropriately.”
The ADL issued a security notice to all Jewish institutions and agencies in Denver on Monday.
“Our perspective is that we try to alert other Jewish institutions when these issues arise,” Levin said.
“We are interested in determining whether there’s a pattern of activity that would suggest anti-Semitism, or other concerns.”
Levin stressed that when events like the recent incident at the JCC “come to our attention, it’s important that the entire Jewish community is alert and aware.
“We never know if the [perpetrator] has true animus or just wants to make life difficult and get a reaction from people. In either case, we need to be vigilant.”
The ADL’s security notice outlines actions Jewish institutions should implement if they receive threatening communications or notice anything suspicious.
• Keep your eyes and ears open for anything unusual or suspicious and call law enforcement immediately if you come across something. Unusual behavior should be promptly reported to the police or to security personnel.
• Consider barring anyone you don’t know from entering your facility and not allowing any new visitor to your facility to roam around unescorted.
• Ensure your staff members, including newly hired personnel, know what to do in the event of an emergency and that they understand policy on allowing persons to enter the facility.
• Make sure to use the security devices you have in place, and that access controls are being used properly. For example, ensure that communications equipment (for instance, walkie-talkies) and video cameras are working and utilized properly.
• Review and practice all security procedures. In particular, review personnel’s role in security. For example, if vigilance has slipped in mail and package delivery safety procedures, now is the time to revisit this area.
• Renew or establish relationships with local law enforcement and discuss security. It has been our experience that local jurisdictions are working very hard to maintain close relationships with their Jewish institutions.
If you have not established personal relationships with key police personnel, set up a meeting to do so.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
