PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — In the midst of growing concerns surrounding safety for students, particularly following the Minneapolis tragedy, we've heard from anxious parents regarding what measures are being implemented to protect their children while they are at school.
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That's why we decided to look into the strategies that school police are taking to elevate security and improve response times in the event of a threat on campus.
Technology and school security
School districts across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast are adopting a range of innovative technologies.
One of the cornerstones of this safety initiative is the FortifyFL app, widely used by school districts in the region.
You can report a tip about suspicious activity on the app and it sends information directly to both local law enforcement and school administrators.
Sarah Mooney, the chief of police for the School District of Palm Beach County, emphasized the app's value.
"It's beneficial any time that you can get information that can point you in the right direction of potential harm, so the more people that have it, the better," she said.
WPTV's Joel Lopez interviewed her during back-to-school coverage where the importance of the Fortify Florida app is further demonstrated by the statistics from last school year.
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The School District of Palm Beach county received 1,600+ tips submitted last school year from the FortifyFL app, about 5% required actionable intervention by authorities.
"It's those 5% that allows us to do interventions before something happens, whether it's a self-harm type issue, somebody making a threat about something, somebody seeing something on campus that needs to be further investigated," said Mooney. "It has worked out very well."
Okeechobee County Schools received 115 tips, the School District of Indian River County garnered 192 tips and the Martin County School District reported 179 tips, with 10% of those leading to law enforcement involvement.
Integrating artificial intelligence
Alongside mobile apps, a pioneering approach to school security involves the use of artificial intelligence with a program called ZeroEyes.
"The goal is to keep kids safe from gun violence," states Sam Alaimo, co-founder of ZeroEyes.
This AI system has been designed to identify firearms, catching them even when they are not actively being held.
Alaimo further explained that the system integrates with existing school security cameras and can alert law enforcement within three seconds of detecting a weapon on campus.
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"What happens oftentimes is once that first shot is fired, you'll get over a hundred plus calls to local 911 with contradictory information," he revealed.
By providing law enforcement with precise information about the suspect and their location, ZeroEyes allows for a more coordinated and timely response.
Ensuring privacy and protection
WPTV asked about potential privacy and security concerns on utilizing AI in a school setting.
ZeroEyes stated it respects individual privacy.
The company said the system does not stream live video feeds or store biometric data, focusing solely on weapon detection and ensuring that the monitoring is conducted discreetly, 24/7.
Metal detectors
In addition to these technological measures, some school districts have started using metal detectors to bolster security.
Both Palm Beach County and Indian River County have implemented metal detectors at all high schools, while St. Lucie County has introduced rotating metal detectors throughout the district.
In contrast, Okeechobee County opts for handheld wands for school resource officers and administrators, providing flexibility in their approach to maintaining safety.
Read more of WPTV's related coverage below:
Back To School
Your questions answered: Safety protocols in Palm Beach County schools
Back To School
