On Sept. 25, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued joint guidance to all educational institutions on how to prepare for and respond to swatting incidents on campus. The guidance urges all schools to implement policies and prepare personnel to identify and mitigate anonymous threats on campuses.
Swatting is a malicious communication to emergency services that falsely reports a violent crime, prompting a heavy law enforcement response to a given location. Swatting incidents are designed to severely disrupt campus operations, intimidate the target of the false report, and can lead to inadvertent and potentially dangerous confrontations with law enforcement.
ED and DOJ encourage educational institutions to review best practices and other resources designed to help them navigate instances of swatting effectively. The new guidance outlines controls, training, and other resources to help institutions identify threats and partner with local law enforcement to mitigate false reports.
The guidance can be accessed here.
