ZANESVILLE − The Maysville Area School District hopes to use new weapons detection equipment this month after its purchase was approved at the October board of education meeting.
“This is really a proactive measure rather than a hasty measure,” commented Brian Blum, superintendent of the Maysville Area School District.
Six new weapon detectors were purchased for $118,000 from a company called OpenGate. The purchase was taken from the school district's general operating fund.
One detector will be installed in the administration center, three will be added at Maysville Middle and High schools (6-12 building), and two will be installed at Maysville Elementary.
The detectors have already been delivered and require staff training before they can be used.
“All of our supervisors, our SROs, our security director, we're all going to be getting those courses because we're the ones responsible for setting them up every morning and measuring them and making sure they're ready to go, so we need it. learning the whole process,” Blum said.
The detection systems are capable of different sensitivities, so depending on the school's daily needs or events, the detectors can be calibrated to catch anything as aggressive as guns and knives to more dangerous items like vape pens.
“You can make it more serious, or you can just worry about weapons getting in.
“It's another layer of security we're adding to our school system,” Blum noted. “The board thought this was the fastest way to try to improve the safety of students and staff.”
The district has a safety committee that has been meeting for the past two years, focusing on ways to improve school and student safety. Other recent upgrades include updated intercom systems and door buzzers with connected sensors and cameras and two-way radios for administrators and security personnel.
Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be reached at sdigity@gannett.com.
This article first appeared in the Zanesville Times Recorder: Maysville schools install six weapon detectors as 'proactive measures'
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