Sweeping security changes are coming to Autauga County schools
PRATTVILLE – The arrest of a student with a gun at Prattville High School has led to sweeping security procedures system-wide in Autauga County schools.
Superintendent Lyman Woodfin presented his security plan to a Thursday afternoon meeting of the Autauga County Board of Education, about 24 hours after the incident.
Woodfin’s security plan relies on metal detectors and discretion of principals. The system will buy up to 40 “portable” detectors, at a cost of up to $4,500 each, and 50 hand-held wands, at a cost of about $200 each. The total cost ranges from $100,000 to $175,000 with the money coming from the recently passed budget.
Each school in the system will be issued the equipment, based on grade level and what staff feel is needed.
There won’t be a walk-through metal detector at every school entrance, where students, staff and visitors must pass through before entering.
“I’m not comfortable to have our teachers, who are very busy now handling instruction, work a metal detector station,” Woodfin said. “Each principal will decide how the equipment is used. I think this is the quickest, but most practical way to address this issue.
“We will see how it works, and we may have to make adjustments. But this is a good start.”
The portable detectors will allow for random searches, Woodfin said.
“Much like what we do now if we use a drug dog to search a school,” he said. “The students won’t know when it is going to happen. If a principal has received information of a threat and needs to search the ninth grade wing, they can.
“In the kindergarten and elementary levels, if the principals feel they need to scan parents or visitors before they enter the school, they have that option.”
Once the devices are ordered, they could be delivered set up, and training completed in two to four weeks, Woodfin said. They can also be used at sporting events, concerts and other extra-curricular activities.
“If there is a rival game, the portable detectors can be set up and used along with the wands,” he said. “We will be relying on our principals and staff to come up with plans best suited for their schools.”
Near the end of the last academic year, a gun was found at Prattville Junior High and Prattville High School. The incidents were within about two weeks of one another.
The board was considering the idea of mandatory clear book bags at the junior high and high schools. After a series of meetings, the book bag policy was shelved. The board then considered upgrading security with the use of metal detectors. That equipment was not in place when the current school year began last month.
Prior gun incidents at Prattville junior high and high schools and board action on a security plan all happened before Woodfin was appointed by the board as superintendent. He came to the schools chief job from his post as principal at Marbury High School.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Sweeping security changes are coming to Autauga County schools
