Give Matt Wiese credit. The veteran Marquette County prosecutor is meeting head on a spate of false violence reports cropping up in area schools in recent months.

Last week, Wiese sent a letter home to parents of students in Marquette County schools bluntly stating that making false threats of violence is a crime, pure and simple, and that he, his office and local police agencies are taking the threats seriously.

“I want to be very clear,” Wiese’s letter states, “these threats are not jokes, they are crimes. The Marquette County Prosecutor’s office will hold individuals accountable who commit these crimes. … Consequences can include felony charges of false, or actual threats of terrorism — both of which are felonies with the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.”

We support Wiese’s approach and given the gravity of what’s happening in schools across the country, it makes sense that he gets out front of the issue. Several local school officials contacted by The Mining Journal after the missive was released through the Marquette Alger Regional Educational Service Agency — MARESA — were also supportive.

Area schools were beset several years ago with a series of similar reports. Back then, it was false bomb threats. They tend to run their course and end on their own. But with gun violence in schools grabbing headlines and many lives, Wiese is being proactive. We think his response and letter are appropriate.