Citing the desire to ensure schools are as safe as possible, Pinellas County school district officials introduced plans Oct. 21 to consider using artificial intelligence-enabled weapon detection systems.
Two schools, neither of which has been selected, would be the site of a trial run for the technology in the spring if the district decides to move ahead with the concept. Before getting to that point, safety and security leaders intend to run the equipment through its paces to determine if it makes sense to have a pilot.
“We are looking for an additional layer of preventive protection,” said Jennifer Dull, the district’s chief operations officer.
School board members said they were in tune with that goal, as school shootings continue to occur around the nation.
“We need to look at any and all options,” board Vice Chairperson Caprice Edmond said, noting that Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri recently has shifted away from his opposition to using the technology.
But Edmond and others also raised questions about the idea, such as whether installing a weapon detection system would impede daily operations.
“We don’t want our schools to look like prison,” Edmond said.
Board member Lisa Cane recalled that past opposition to the concept included worries that large groups of students would be gathered in crowded areas waiting to pass through, possibly making them targets.
District security director Sean Jowell responded that the technology has advanced beyond walk-through detectors to rely on scanners that operate unobtrusively, using artificial intelligence to help identify potentially dangerous items. He said visits to schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties, which use such technology, demonstrated smooth passage into schools with few delays.
Even if the systems work, board chairperson Laura Hine said, other concerns remain.
“I don’t want having these at a few entrances giving a false sense of security,” Hine said.
The cost is an additional pressure point, board member Dawn Peters said, noting the schools already face financial constraints.
“Where would this funding ultimately come from?” Peters asked.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the money would come from safety grants the district gets from the state. He told the board he would be mindful of all these issues as his leadership team reviews the possibilities.
“We may decide it’s not efficient and it doesn’t make a difference,” Hendrick said. “We want to have that information.”
Board members asked for updates on the administration’s findings leading up to any recommendations that emerge. Jowell said it would be at least a month before any further decisions are reached.