The Pinellas County School Board is set to vote on whether to purchase advanced weapons detection systems following a brief pilot program that ended after just nine days — well short of its originally planned run through the end of the school year.
Safety officials say the nine-day data collection period was sufficient to reach a recommendation: that the district purchase two advanced weapons detection units to be deployed throughout the county on an as-needed basis.
Sean Jowell, the district’s Director of Safety and Security, said the technology itself proved effective, but that staffing demands present a significant challenge. “To do it efficiently, effectively, and correctly, you’ve got to have dedicated staff for these checkpoints every single morning, for all of the arrival points,” Jowell said. “The larger the school, the more checkpoints you’re going to have.”
Board members expressed differing views during a recent workshop. Board member Dawn Peters said she would prefer to see funds directed toward people rather than technology. “I personally would prefer to see us spending more money on actual humans that are helping be eyes for our students and campuses,” she said. Board member Lisa Cane took a broader view, noting that weapon and violence incidents in schools have been increasing. “It’s important that we stay vigilant on what is the most effective method in keeping our students safe,” she said.
The pilot was conducted at Gibbs and Palm Harbor University High Schools, where safety officials reported finding zero weapons at either campus. Data showed that student flow moved more smoothly at Gibbs than at Palm Harbor, with Jowell noting that student backlogs of not reaching class on time are a common issue when deploying such technology.
Pending the board’s decision, the two detection units will next be used at county events, such as graduation ceremonies and athletic events, as well as at a future board meeting.
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