Recent school threats highlight importance of speedy responses from Big Tech for police …

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Requests for information from big tech companies, like one made earlier this week following threats of violence against a West Fargo school, are a staple of local police investigations. How helpful the information is and the timeliness of its delivery can be all over the board, and police departments say it’s sometimes not happening quickly enough. Capt. Chris Helmick, with the Fargo Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, said it can be a complicated process. “We’re sometimes at the mercy of these companies that are holding the data,” Helmick said. West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness was critical of tech giant Google during a Tuesday, Dec. 7, news conference in the wake of threats made over social media about a shooting at Cheney Middle School. The threat posted to Snapchat around 9:30 p.m. Monday prompted a switch to online learning the next day and cancellation or postponement of some after-school activities. Otterness said investigators received a timely response from Snapchat, but Google hadn’t responded to their request as of Tuesday afternoon. He said Google’s response time was “unacceptable.” West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness speaks at a press conference regarding a threat of violence at Cheney Middle…
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