Weapons detection systems in place at Franklin County schools

Weapons detection systems at the Franklin County Middle and High School are up and working as classes get underway.

Assistant School Superintendent Carl Dekker told the Board of Education at their meeting last week, that students at the two schools will have time to get used to the new devices this week before they go into service next week.

Dekker said additionally, teachers and staff at the elementary schools this week are preparing students regarding what the detectors are and how they work before they begin to use the new system.

In February, the Board approved up to $200,000 to install the hi-tech detection equipment in each school.

The money came from SPLOST V.

The decision by the School Board to purchase the weapons detection system was in response to three separate incidents last school year on Franklin County school campuses in which a student brought a gun to school and one incident in which an adult was found to have a gun on their person.

The weapons detection system is part of an overall safety plan instituted by Scott Andrews, Director of Safety and Security for the Franklin County Charter System.

Last January, Andrews also launched a new app for students to use to report if a student was carrying a weapon or any other kind of incident.

The school system also received a $50,000 Rural Education Safety grant from the Georgia Department of Education.

That money was used to purchase a key card entry system for all of the schools.