A Pembroke Academy student found with two folding “buck” knives had to be subdued by pepper spray after getting confrontational with police inside the school, police said.

Police arrested Joseph Britenriker, 17, of Pembroke Road, for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest on Thursday, Jan. 18. Police and school administrators each said there was no indication that Britenriker intended to use the knives in a malicious way.

“He wasn’t threatening anyone,” said PA Headmaster Michael Reardon. Reardon, who didn’t name Britenriker, said one of the student’s teachers reported knowledge of a weapon to administrators. Reardon said police were called because “the student wasn’t responding to the demands of the staff that were there.”

The alleged incident happened around lunchtime at PA, and Police Chief Scott Lane said police asked that all other students leave the cafeteria while Britenriker was contained there.

“The cafeteria had been cleared out because it was a potentially volatile situation,” he said.

Lane said the student physically struggled with approaching police officers and had to be subdued by pepper spray. Once in police custody, Briten riker was cooperative, Lane said. Britenriker wasn’t charged with any assault or weapons-related crimes.

Reardon said the student hasn’t been back to school since the alleged incident, but said he couldn’t discuss any specific disciplinary action.

“It was a serious incident and it received a serious response from the school,” he said. Reardon said students, who were asked to bring a letter home explaining the situation, have responded well to the alleged incident.

Still, he said, “It bothers me a great deal. My primary job is the kids’ safety.”

Britenriker is out on $1,000 personal recognizance bail, and is scheduled for a Tuesday, Feb. 6, arraignment at Hooksett District Court.