Metal Detectors At Crete?

Reporter

Mason Lazzaroni

Image: Google

In the past 3 years, Crete Monee High School has increased its security protocols to combat the ever-evolving climate of violence in American schools across the country.

One security measure is the prohibition of solid color and mesh backpacks in favor of clear backpacks. However, unless bag checks are conducted on a daily basis there is no way to be certain students are not bringing contraband into the building.

In order to solve this issue, the prospect of installing metal detectors at entryways in the school has been considered. Ideally, this would negate the need for bag searches and stop any potential threats before they enter the school building. But, some students within the school do not think installing metal detectors is the right call yet.

“Metal detectors should be a last resort, I think other options should be considered,” said Arthur Mcfadden. “Metal detectors would be effective, but it would make the school environment feel more like a prison.”

The consensus among the students interviewed was that metal detectors would work, but they weren't needed to create a safe school environment. Some thought that the current security protocols were already enough to protect the school.

“In my opinion, the security is fine as it is,” said Mya Witherspoon. “With the usage of clear backpacks and having an armed police officer in the school, there is enough security.”

One possibility that has not been considered is that installing metal detectors could depreciate the already-in-place security by creating a false sense of security. While yes metal detectors can be a useful tool, they are not infallible.

Metal detectors only detect items made of metal as the name suggests. Therefore, If a student brought in some kind of non-metallic weapon or contraband the detector would not pick it up, but school officials would deem them as clear.

“In my experience with using handheld metal detectors, it created more negative interactions with the students which lead to more confrontations with staff than before we started using them,” said Detective Evie Lazzaroni who has experience in high school security.

While the idea of installing metal detectors seems like a foolproof concept on paper, the pros do not outweigh the cons. Students should feel safe upon entering the school but not at the expense of their mental health. It seems the best route for the school to take would be to explore other options before installing detectors.

However, If Crete Monee is committed to adding metal detectors to its security protocols then trying out handheld detectors would be a good test run. It would be unwise to install stationary detectors before seeing if they are practical.