HISD provides more details on the weapon detection system heading to high schools

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston ISD plans to put a weapons security system in all high schools, and now district leaders are explaining how they're going to pay for it.

They look like metal detectors, but they're not. The towers, designed to spot weapons, will be found at Lamar High School next week.

"We started with the schools where we have already found weapons this year," Superintendent Mike Miles explained. "We've found weapons at Lamar, Northside, and Bellaire."

Miles said the weapon detection system is another layer of protection for students. Last week, ABC13 told you about the plans, but didn't know the cost.

On Monday, Miles explained how all high schools are getting them but didn't say exactly how much they'll cost.

"As far as the cost, it'll run over this year and probably most of next year, probably grant-funded," Miles said.

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The district is limiting the number of places where they need the technology by reducing the number of building entrances to keep costs down. For example, here at Lamar High School, there are five entrances, but that's being reduced to two.

Finding money isn't the only hurdle. The devices need staff.

If an alarm is triggered, you need someone there to take action.

"Staffing will be a school-by-school issue," Miles said. "That's why we're doing the drills. We're doing the plans, going over their plans to see how they will be staffed."

Miles said they could quickly move the equipment to the school's students. In half an hour, they can move 600 students through the system.

He hopes the technology will make the campus safer.

"This is not a cure-all," Miles said. "The weapon detection system doesn't mean you won't have guns in the schools, but this is one more layer, and we're being prudent about having these weapon detection systems placed in these schools."

Technology will start with high schools, and Miles said that if they can find additional funds, it could also come to middle schools.

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