WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Following a contentious debate Wednesday night, the Palm Beach County School Board is moving forward with a plan to eventually purchase metal detectors for all high schools in the school district.
WPTV was first to break this story on Tuesday.
WATCH: Metal detectors planned at all Palm Beach County high schools
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education
After a 30-minute discussion, the school board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a contract, not to exceed $2.25 million, giving Superintendent Mike Burke the authority to buy the equipment from Ohio-based company CEIA USA.
However, several board members were concerned about making such a large investment before completing a pilot program with the walk-through metal detectors at four schools: John I. Leonard High School, Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, Seminole Ridge Community High School, and Palm Beach Gardens Community High School.
Some board members also raised concerns about logistics and getting thousands of high school students through metal detectors and to class on time.
The principals at those four schools asked to be a part of the pilot program, which has been delayed because of supply chain issues.
Burke on Wednesday assured the school board he would not purchase the additional metal detectors until the district is able to run the pilot program and discuss the outcome.
"I'm fairly confident this will work," Burke said.
The superintendent added that approving the contract now will lock in the price for the metal detectors, even though the district is not making the purchase right away.
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Records show more than 27 weapons have been confiscated on Palm Beach County high school campuses this school year. At least six of them were guns.
"We may do some testing over the summer, but we’re pretty confident that we want to have a program. We want to have it district-wide," Police Chief Sarah Mooney of the School District of Palm Beach County's police department exclusively told WPTV. "And with some of the delays in trying to get the equipment, we figured we’re pretty comfortable that we can make this a valuable tool on our high school campuses."
Mooney said the district will still do the pilot program to test the waters.
"So we can have some of those little things that you need to work out, so there’s not a disruption on campus when the kids are coming and going. Just because we are adding a layer of security," Mooney said.
The police chief added she hopes to have everything in place district-wide by January of next year.
