Amelia Bell, Noah Kuttymartin, Jacob Robison, Colin Landry
Angelina Sammarco, James Raggio Editor; Jennifer Loy, Chief Editor
November 5, 2024
SWAT in a Classroom[1]
Event: On November 5, 2024, Maine State Police (MSP), along with local police departments, responded to multiple falsely reported active shooter threats across high schools in Maine, leading to lockdowns and security responses.[2] The false threat reporting requiring the deployment of SWAT personnel, or “swatting,” incidents occurred in South Portland, North Berwick, Bangor, Paris, Auburn, Lewiston, and Scarborough, impacting school operations and temporarily halting voting at some polling locations. The incident is one of many election-day disruptions across the country, with the calls and threats traced to a foreign IP address previously linked to similar threats.[3]
Significance: The statewide swatting campaign was likely intended to create disorder and fear in communities by dispersing police resources and impacting response times. The motivation behind the campaign was unlikely to sway voters or disrupt polling processes and will almost certainly have little to no impact on individuals' voting choices. Individuals intending to sway the election will likely target politically tied places, like state political party offices and polling places, while other assailants, likely including foreign actors, will likely target public spaces like schools to increase election day unrest.
Politically motivated threat actors will likely recognize the strain on law enforcement caused by the swatting campaign, likely utilizing similar faux-threat plots to distract and disrupt law enforcement operations during election day. Perpetrators will likely continue exploiting the heightened pressures faced by local law enforcement, with anti-government groups and lone actors likely using the large police response to the swatting during polling day to further conspiracies about election fraud and voting miscalculations. The response to the swatting calls made in Maine, including the halting of voting at a polling station, will likely inspire other threat actors to utilize similar methods to cause disruption.
Recommendations
The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) recommends Maine state and local law enforcement agencies collaborate with cybersecurity agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security, and other experts to track, identify, and monitor foreign IP addresses associated with swatting. These agencies should practice enhanced monitoring on high-risk dates like election day to detect and deter threats as early as possible. Establishing coordination with cyber threat intelligence providers may also aid in identifying and mitigating similar risks in the future.
Local election officials should establish alternative voting sites or protocols that can be quickly activated if polling locations continue to be targeted. Public statements should emphasize the measures in place to ensure safe voting, despite potential disruptions, to counteract any influence of swatting calls on voter turnout.
Polling site staff should be ready to advise voters on lockdown procedures and should maintain an established communication line with law enforcement in the event of an emergency to minimize response time.
Maine school districts should conduct regular training and drills on threat response protocols, ensuring staff and students can respond swiftly and effectively during lockdowns. These should include plans for identifying false threats and minimizing panic. Clear communication channels should be established between district and school staff to maximize intelligence sharing and maintain order during false threat incidents.
If there is any additional and or critical information please contact us at The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) by Telephone 202-643-2848 or email info@counterterrorismgroup.com
[1] “Anchorage SWAT train on JBER” by Senior Airman Julia Libens licensed under Public Domain
[2] "Maine Schools Target of Swatting Calls on Election Day; Police Say There Is No Threat to Public." WMTW, 5 Nov. 2024, https://www.wmtw.com/article/maine-schools-swatting-calls-election-day-schools/62816651.
[3] Ibid