What DeKalb County Schools' new weapons detection system means for students

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County school leaders are beefing up security in schools across the district after a record number of weapons were found on campuses this year.

On Monday, school board members voted to approve an $8 million contract with Evolv Technology for the installment of new weapons detection technology at all middle and high schools.

The Evolv Technology system is the same one being used at large event venues like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Georgia Aquarium, and Lenox Mall.

"This has been disconcerting for us since I’ve been on the board…we saw an increase. It’s quite alarming…almost frightening," School Board Vice Chairwoman Vickie Turner said at Monday’s board meeting. "The message has to be clear that we are concerned with our children’s safety and our staff’s safety, and we must address it in a way that is beyond rhetoric."

According to district data, 310 weapons, including knives, handguns, rifles and other firearms, have been discovered in schools across DeKalb County just this school year. That number is on track to surpass the previous five school years.

"After looking at the data it was alarming, and we have to take action in the benefits of the safety as our number one priority," Board Chairman Diijon DaCosta told FOX 5.

DaCosta explained that the weapons detection system allows students to go through the entrance to their school without stopping, emptying their pockets or bags, or waiting in lines.

Michael Dorn, of Safe Haven International, has conducted safety assessments for thousands of schools worldwide and in all 50 states.

"Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, we were brought in by the Broward County School District to assess their 254 schools and support facilities after they had 34 people were shot," he explained. 

He told FOX 5 he is very familiar with Evolv, but has questions about how effective it is, specifically its ability to detect knives, after requests for laboratory testing, and safety certifications from the company went unanswered.

"They’ve told us they have those, but they’ve not provided them, and we started asking about a year ago," Dorn said. "I’m not saying the system doesn’t work…they told us that it would find ‘most knives’ is what they told us about a year ago."

DaCosta said while the purchasing process for the technology has already started, they are continuing to look at ways to improve school safety.

A statement from a district spokesperson reads: 

"The safety of everyone in our schools is the Board’s highest priority and the investment in the Evolv Weapons Detection System is the latest demonstration of that unwavering commitment."