HANOVER — Law enforcement officials responded to Baker-Berry Library Friday afternoon after receiving a call about a “potential threat,” which later proved to be unfounded.
An “unidentified party” made a call to dispatch “that there was a potential threat outside of the Baker Library at Dartmouth College,” Hanover Police Lt. Dan Fowler said outside the library, which is located on North Main Street in downtown Hanover and is a primary feature on the Dartmouth Green. The caller had reported that someone with a weapon was in the area.
Hanover police and Dartmouth Safety and Security officers closed the building to the public and conducted a sweep of it. At the same time, they reviewed security camera footage of the area.
“The footage did not line up with what the caller had stated,” Hanover Police Chief James Martin said. In a news release Martin said the call “was likely a hoax” and that “no witnesses in the area reported observing anyone consistent with the caller’s information.”
Hanover Police, along with Dartmouth Safety and Security officers continued to conduct an investigation to confirm what they saw in the video footage.
“We haven’t identified any emergencies or anything that would cause further action on our part,” Fowler said. “We’re just doing our due diligence to make sure that everybody’s safe and everything looks good.”
He noted that there are more people on campus and in downtown Hanover this week due to Dartmouth’s Sunday graduation ceremony.
Dartmouth College sent out a notice to students and staff using its emergency alert system to warn them of a “low credibility threat” and instructing them to stay out of the area during the investigation.
Shortly after 3 p.m., they sent out another alert stating the situation had been resolved, though law enforcement may continue to be in the vicinity of the library.
“… it is now safe to leave your refuge area and resume normal activities,” the alert said.
Martin said the initial call to dispatch came from an unknown number and that they would try to trace the call.
“We will research that to the best of our abilities,” he said.
