Briefly In Public Safety: Top of the World goes on lockdown, no threat identified

Top of the World Elementary School went on lockdown Sept. 21 after a third-grade student reported seeing a suspicious male with a mask and a backpack while walking to school.

The student ran back home to tell his mother, who called the school. Police were called to the scene around 9 a.m.

By the time police received the call, the story had evolved to the suspicious man actually being on the campus. After interviewing the third-grader more carefully, police realized the mask was most likely a dust mask, like those worn by outdoor workers, and the bag was a trash bag.

When staff had tried calling 911 originally, it didn’t go through, which led them to assume the phone lines had been cut. It turned out that they had forgotten to dial “9” for an outside line.

Multiple police units, which included detectives, searched the area.

Their search was terminated after no threat was identified.

—Joanna Clay

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Prescription drug take back day set for Saturday

Prescription drug abuse is a silent epidemic in America and it hasn’t skipped over Laguna Beach, according to Laguna Beach Police Employees’ Assn. President Larry Bammer.

One way to address the problem is by participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Bammer said.

Residents may anonymously drop off unused, unwanted prescription medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s parking lot, 550 Blumont St.

Bammer encouraged the community to participate.

—Barbara Diamond

Twitter: @coastlinepilot