Waterbury looking into weapon detectors for city schools

By DENNIS VALERA

Click here for updates on this story

    WATERBURY, Connecticut (WFSB) — Waterbury Public Schools is looking to install what they call weapon detection systems at their schools to help make them more secure.

In the proposal the school district says it wants to install a non-invasive security screening process at school entrances to detect metallic and non-metallic threats.

A local nonprofit has already spoken out against this.

In a statement, Waterbury Public Schools says the increase in school threats has necessitated this.

“Waterbury Public Schools is looking for new and innovative ways technology can help prevent threats from occurring within our school grounds. Safety within our schools is of utmost importance to us…” the statement says.

Among the many reported last month, one called for extra police presence at Waterbury Career Academy High School as a precaution.

The school district is currently trying to find a contractor and plans to use American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

Vincent Givans is on board with this.

Even though he doesn;t live far from his daughter’s school, he always drops her off and picks her up.

“Half a block, and I still don’t have her walk by herself. I take her, me and her mom, in the morning. That’s extra protection,” Givans said.

The nonprofit Radical Advocates for Cross-Cultural Education (RACCE) says this would send the wrong message and criminalize students.

The group is also calling it a misuse of ARP dollars.

Michaela Barratt is a youth organizer with RACCE. She is also a former Waterbury Public Schools student.

She believes it sends the wrong message to students, calling it a military and prison-like measure.

“We already have an unnecessary presence of police officers in our school, so when you’re telling these kids we need to scan you for weapons, oh yeah, to make sure you’re safe but at the same time why are we being scanned for weapons?” Barratt said.

Barratt says the ARP funds could go towards something else.

“We need to be thinking of different ways to keep our students safe. What are ways that’ll keep our students safe, but actually add to their environment, their school environment. Enrich their school environment, because this is not the way,” Barratt said.

“This doesn’t address what the state’s recommendations are, nor does it, weapons detection systems weren’t included in any of the meaningful consultation that’s required by the American Rescue Plan to be included in the school district’s plan to spend those millions of dollars,” said Robbie Goodrich, Executive Director of RACCE.

In the proposal, the school district says they want the detectors to work so that students, staff, and whoever else enters the school would be able to go through without stopping.

Belen Michelis, Director of Communications with Waterbury Public Schools released a statement:

“Waterbury Public Schools is currently seeking proposals from companies with expertise within the weapons detection systems. Recently, the nation has seen an increase in the usage of social media to create school threats. WPS is looking for new and innovative ways technology can help to prevent threats from occurring within our school grounds. Safety within our schools is of upmost importance to us and we will continue to protect our most valuable assets- students, teachers, administration and parents.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.