Chief: Police Presence at Schools Was Precautionary

The police presence that some families may have observed Monday at local schools such as St. Theresa School, Red Door Early Learning Center and the Saucon Valley School District campus wasn't meant to cause alarm, Hellertown Police Chief Robert Shupp told Borough Council Monday.

Shupp said his department wanted to help make parents, students and staff "feel a little bit safer" in the wake of the tragic and .

"It’s just simply that. It’s more of a presence in light of what happened," Shupp stressed, adding that there had been no specific threats regarding local schools.

At the start of Monday's council meeting, councilwoman Gail Nolf led attendees in observing a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the Dec. 14 Connecticut school shooting that claimed more than two dozen lives.

Saucon Valley school superintendent Dr. Sandra Fellin said over the weekend that counseling would be available for students who were unsettled by the incident, and on Monday issued a statement thanking families for their faith in the local school system while reminding them to remain observant.