Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico has told Police Commission members that the superintendent of schools has commended Newtown Police Department command staff members for their work following the in Monroe.October 1 bomb threat received at Sandy Hook Elementary School

At an October 7 Police Commission session, Mr Mangiafico told the four other commission members that he had met with School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, for a discussion.

The superintendent had documented in a letter his appreciation for the police department command staff’s help following the bomb scare, Mr Mangiafico said.

In that October 2 letter, Dr Erardi wrote, in part, “Chief Mike Kehoe and Lieutenant Richard Robinson offered extraordinary time-sensitive advice during the critical decisionmaking time of the [school] evacuation ... They remained at the site until there was no further safety concern and … had a presence at a community forum the same evening, which was so important.”

Dr Erardi also complimented the work of Police Captain Joe Rios for his help in developing the school system’s safety and security protocols.

“Mike, Joe, and Rich, in my experience, represent three of the absolute best,” Dr Erardi wrote in the letter.

Following a thorough search of the Sandy Hook School and grounds on October 1, police found no suspicious objects.

At least five law enforcement agencies are investigating the telephoned bomb threat to the school at 375 Fan Hill Road, Monroe.

Monroe Police Lieutenant Brian McCauley has said that Monroe police are being aided in the probe by Newtown police, state police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the US Attorney’s Office for Connecticut.

After the bomb threat was received, Sandy Hook School students and staff evacuated the building and stayed at the adjacent Jockey Hollow Middle School. Students remained there until they could be picked up by their parents or transported home by school bus.

Sandy Hook School students have been attending classes in what had been a vacant Monroe school building, formerly known as Chalk Hill Middle School, since January 2013.