MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Over the past few weeks, News 6 has reported on multiple school threats and hoaxes across Central Florida. Now, one local school district says it’s taking steps to get ahead of the issue.
This week, the Marion County School Board unanimously voted to purchase OpenGate weapon detection systems, approving a $400,000 investment for 19 units. District leaders say the move is aimed at strengthening safety for both students and staff.
“It’s a visible deterrent and a pinpoint system that detects exactly what we want,” said Kevin Christian, Director of Public Relations for Marion County Public Schools.
Students pass through the special screeners, which are designed to detect weapons on individuals as well as in backpacks.
“Allowing us to screen large amounts of students in a short amount of time is key,” Christian said.
The plan is for all traditional high schools to receive two of the systems with extras on hand for graduations and to use at other schools. Officials say they will also be used during after-school activities and sporting events.
“The instance where we had someone in the community come to a football game with a gun, they meant no harm, but someone reported it. That is what got us thinking about it,” he said.
The district already has several security measures in place, including surveillance cameras, security personnel, and single-point access on campuses. Still, Christian acknowledges no system is completely foolproof.
“There’s no school district that I’m aware of that has 100% foolproof methods to keep a bad guy from doing something bad,” he said. “But we are hoping these visible deterrents do just that.”
Weapons are not allowed on school grounds, including during school events and athletic competitions. The OpenGate systems are already used by other school districts, universities, and theme parks across the country.
District officials say they hope to have the new weapon detection systems in place by May.