Today and yesterday morning, the Metropolitan Police Department's Communications Division received phone calls from a male suspect who made bomb threats against D.C. public schools. Metropolitan Police notified D.C. public school authorities, who made the decision to evacuate the schools.

Members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal section, who in addition to their bomb-sniffing dogs had the availability of U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Secret Service bomb-sniffing dogs, conducted searches of DC schools with negative results.

Metropolitan Police officials are currently meeting with D.C. School Board authorities to develop strategies to address this problem. At this time, officers have been ordered to conduct a visual inspection of each school. In the event that they find something which resembles an explosive device, they will contact D.C. public school officials and the department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal section.

With the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the department is actively seeking the person or persons responsible for these bomb threats and intends to prosecute the suspect(s) to the full extent of the law. Under Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 842 - 844, the suspect(s) could face penalties of not less than ten years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $250,000.

Anyone who has information regarding the person or persons who made these bombs threats is asked to call the department's Crime Solvers Unit at 1-800-673-2777.

All calls to the Crime Solvers Unit are confidential and a person need not give his or her name. If the information provided by a caller leads to an arrest and indictment, the caller will be eligible for a reward of up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.