According to Director of Student Services, Dr. Tom Balitewicz, The corporation already has policy in place for any searches that may require a metal detector.
“It’s nice to have a hand held device in every school just in case we need to check somebody or do something with that metal detection device,” he explained.
The metal detectors will be kept in the hands of School Resource Officers who monitor everyone and everything that happens in each building.
Sheriff John Plasse said the metal detectors are a great security tool, “That’s gonna catch things that we don’t.”
Each SRO is responsible for keeping their school safe during the school year.
Plasse went on to explain that law enforcement has to receive special training before entering the schools.
“That’s why it’s important we train in active shooter. We tell them what they have to do, you can’t stay out you have to go in,” he said. “We’ve run through active shooter scenarios with them, we’ve done simulations with them.”
In addition to metal detectors and SROs, the corporation has also applied for a $100,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
“If we do get the grant we will hire a third party to do a threat assessment of all of our buildings,” said Balitewicz. “And to give us feedback to see what we’re doing right and see what we could do better.”
Balitewicz said the corporation will also use the grant money for extra radios and to create a panic button cell phone application with the sheriff’s department.
The grant application was filed last week, the corporation should know if they’ve been awarded it within a few weeks.
