Horry County Schools to upgrade metal detectors, add security staff
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County Schools is planning to beef up its on-campus security systems by installing better metal detectors and hiring more staff, the district announced on Monday.
“Last week, district staff visited the Greenville County School District, the state’s largest school district, and our neighboring district, the Georgetown County School District, to observe their weapons detection systems,” board vice chairman Neil James said in a statement following closed door talks at the meeting where detailed security plans were discussed.
A Myrtle Beach Middle School student was detained on Feb. 6 after reportedly bringing a gun on campus. That pupil was criminally charged and disciplined.
On the day of the incident, the school conducted a random search, the district said in a news relase. All students walked through metal detectors and their bags were randomly searched. However, the student’s see-through bookbag, which contained the gun and ammunition, was not randomly chosen to be searched that day.
James said a group of district staff, school administrators and a law enforcement official will meet to review demonstrations by vendors of their weapons detection products and make a recommendation to the board by March 18.
“In addition to upgrading metal detection equipment, in the upcoming budget cycle staff is requesting one additional security person at each middle and school to reduce some search duty for school staff,” James said. “This person would search individuals entering a school after the school day has begun.”
Horry County Schools is the state’s third largest district, with more than 46,000 students.
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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
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