New weapon detection system may soon greet all students and visitors
“We have to do everything we can to keep our kids and staff safe,” —Kirby Malone Pierce County Schools may soon have a weapons detection system installed on each campus.
The school board is expected to make a final decision on purchasing the system at its regular meeting Monday, April 14. The meeting is being delayed a week due to spring break.
First district board member Kirby Malone talked in favor of purchasing the system.
“We have to do everything we can to keep our kids and staff safe,” he said.
Board members received an overview of the proposal at their monthly work session last Thursday.
School superintendent Dara Bennett said the system has looked at three different weapons detection products and had opted to go with School Specialty.
School Specialty’s OPENGATE system provides for fast screening for metal threats such as high caliber weapons and can screen backpacks, purses and bags.
The OPENGATE system will be set up at all major entrances at all schools. Total cost of the system will be $235,910.74. The high school will have the most detection devices at a cost of $74,925.90 followed by Blackshear Elementary and the middle school at $53,823.22 and $53,290.54 respectively. MES entrances will be covered for $35,720.54 and Patterson Elementary will be covered at $18,150.54.
Bennett explained the costs will be covered by the school system’s special purpose local option sales tax funds (SPLOST). She said the Georgia General Assembly has also indicated they may provide funds to local school systems for safety grants.
The weapons detection system, if approved, will compliment the Centegix badges purchased by the school system in January at a cost of $237,000.
The badges allow staff the ability to summon help in an emergency by touching their badges.
The system gives staff members special badges that feature a multi-function button. Depending on how the button is pressed, a teacher could send an alert to the rest of the faculty, to local emergency services, and/or initiate a full school lockdown if necessary.
It's also location accurate, allowing administrators and first responders to know where the alert came from down to the specific floor and room number.
The Centegix badges will be in use at all campuses in the school system. All staff members will have a badge.
