Cumberland County Schools to invest $3M to install weapons detectors for upcoming school year

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Cumberland County Schools (CCS) is making a big investment to enhance its security on school grounds.

The school district says it's paying about $3 million from its capital funds to install a weapons detection system in all of its schools for the 2024-2025 school year.

CCS says it's spending time over the summer to install two weapons detection systems at each school.

"Safety is of the utmost importance," Coleman said. "We know that parents send their most treasured possessions to us at school and we take it seriously," said Kevin Coleman, the Associate Superintendent of Auxiliary Services. "I want them to feel like as they go through that--not that it's a 'I gotcha.' It's that we're here, we're being preventative and we're doing everything we can to keep you safe."

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The district said it began working on the project a year ago after gathering feedback from over 200 parents, students, teachers, law enforcement officers, and community leaders. Coleman said the screeners would be used at designated school entry points during the morning by up to three staffers, then used throughout the day to monitor visitors at main entrances in schools.

"It would be nice to prevent it before something happens. It sounds like a good idea to me," said Chrystal Brisbane, a CCS parent.

"I think it's a good idea," said Kenneth Brown, also a CCS parent. "Especially with the slight increase in violence, you can never be too safe. And you know, our kids are our future so you want them always protected."

The move to invest in the OpenGate screeners comes after the district installed a new, more comprehensive visitor management system last year.