PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV is learning the next four schools that will get metal detectors in Palm Beach County.
The layer of safety is back in the forefront after a gun was found at William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens last week.
Boynton Beach Community High School, Park Vista Community High School, Forest Hill Community High School, and Palm Beach Central High School are the next four schools that will have metal detectors. All expected to have that equipment in the next few weeks.
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Metal detectors have become second nature for students at four Palm Beach County high schools: Seminole Ridge Community High School, Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, John I. Leonard High School, and Palm Beach Gardens Community High School.
Now another group is about to join them.
"Part of the key to this being successful is that each campus is engaged in making it work the way it's going to be best for their campus," said Chief Sarah Mooney of the School District of Palm Beach County's Police Department.
Mooney is proud of how this rollout has gone so far. No weapons have been found at the schools using metal detectors.
"So does that tell you that it's doing something?" WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind asked Mooney.
"I think that's the hardest part of this whole project is that you really can't, how do you measure what you don't find? I think as long as you don't find anything, that's kind of your good measure," Mooney answered.
The chief said this next round of schools was chosen based on feasibility and current arrival procedures.
Dwyer High School, where a student was arrested for having a gun on campus last week, did not make the first round. But Mooney said it isn't far behind
"Did we have people say, oh, they have to be next. The reality is we need to be systematic in what we are doing. And the reality is nothing is 100%," Mooney said.
"You never want to get that phone call and your heart just stops and all you want to do is hear your child’s voice," said Maria Shell, whose daughter goes to Dwyer High School.
While Shell doesn't think metal detectors are the only answer, she welcomes them on campus.
"The sooner the better, especially after what happened. Because you wonder, if metal detectors had been in place, could this have been avoided?" Shell said.
Mooney said students and staff working together is always the best safety measure, but the metal detectors are proving to be a valuable asset.
"Every day, we're trying to do a little bit more and a little bit more. And I've said from the get-go, safety and security on our campus, we're never done. We're never done trying to do better," Mooney said.
Training should start next week at the next four schools, with deployment the week after.
The chief added that after those next four schools, the district will continue to alternate with training and implementation until Palm Beach County high schools across the district have metal detectors in place.
"There's been some trepidation about it [from the other schools] because they are concerned the kids are going to get backed up. It's going to take so long. All these things we have to do. So it's been very rewarding having the four principals from the pilot schools speak up on behalf of all these other concerns that the campuses have. And really they worked through them. They've been very positive about them and have gone through these hiccups already and are available as a resource to help the other campuses in their process. I think they've been very instrumental in showing that this is going to be a successful project and that it is doable and it will provide an extra layer of safety and security on our campuses," Mooney said.
The chief admits the metal detectors have been a learning curve for everybody, but the students have been very responsive, adding that "I don't think it's negatively impacted anybody since the rollout of this."
"If this helps to deter them from taking the chance of bringing that on the campus, then I think that's a win for everybody," Mooney said.
"Are you proud of how things have gone so far?" Susskind asked Mooney.
"I am. I am," Mooney answered. "It's a big undertaking. We've had a lot of other districts and people calling and inquiring, how did you do it? I give all the credit to the staff on the campuses. Because really, they are the ones steering this whole thing. As I say, proud, yeah. I'm very proud that the district has made the investment in this layer of security. But I'm more proud of our human capital, our people who work on the campuses who are embracing it. And really, they want it to work also. So they are involved in helping us make this a success."
Meanwhile, WPTV is learning more about last week's incident when a student was arrested for having a gun at Dwyer High School.
Mooney said the incident started with a tip about a weapon on campus. She said police had the situation wrapped up within 15 minutes, but there were concerns that others on campus were involved, and that extended the police presence.
Mooney added that school police worked with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on the case, and each agency brings their own resources.
"So working together, it may have looked like more than it was. But again, if you have officers that are out on regular patrol from some of our other agencies, they are coming to the scene. I don't think there is a law enforcement officer in our county that if they thought there was an emergency somewhere, they are going to our schools," Mooney said.