Dumas School District Superintendent Kelvin Gragg announced the purchase and installation of 12 portable metal detectors in the district's schools in an interview Friday, September 24.
Gragg said the metal detectors are part of the school's plan to ensure the safety of the students. Gragg gave examples of school shoots and gun violence in public places as two of the reasons for the metal detectors.
“It is just a matter of time, we wanted to be proactive rather than reactive,” he said.
The Metal Defender metal detectors will stationed at the entry doors at the beginning of the day and a single metal detector will be positioned at the entrance doors during the day for parents or visitors to be scanned. Students will have to empty their pockets before walking through the device. If the device goes off, any bags will be checked. The district will also be purchasing handheld wands to check the person walking through if the metal detector is activated .
“If it goes off, we'll check it. If they do not want it checked, then leave it in their car,” Gragg said.
Supt. Gragg reported that the district has been working to upgrade safety measures for the safety of students. The security measures include upgrading cameras in school buildings, classrooms and on buses; students using mesh or clear backpacks and the metal detectors. The school has had internal bus cameras for some time, but recently installed the external cameras to record and be able to report anyone illegally passing buses.
“All of these are designed to better protect our kids,” Gragg said.
