NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk School Division is the latest local school system to propose putting weapons detection systems in all schools.
Superintendent Dr. Sharon Byrdsong made the recommendation during her budget proposal on Wednesday.
"This system, which is comprised of two free standing pillars, will support efforts to provide fast, automatic, unprecedented screening," Byrdsong told school board members during her presentation.
The school system adds to the growing list of Hampton Roads school system proposing beefing up security.
Following the shooting of a teacher last month, Newport News schools are moving forward with putting metal detectors in every school.
Portsmouth is also planning to add weapons detection systemsto all schools.
Hampton has added them to high schools, middle schools, Pre-k schools, and the Kilgore Gifted Center. Elementary schools are also getting them.
Virginia Beach and Chesapeake both told News 3 they were evaluating whether to add metal detectors.
News 3 got a look at how the program works in Hampton last year. At a cost of $12,000 per unit, students talk through the detectors every day and they can detect guns or knives.
In addition to weapons detection systems, the Norfolk superintendent is also proposing adding 18 security officers and bumping up their pay to address retention.
Prior to the pandemic, Norfolk Police put school resource officers at all middle and high schools. Due to staffing challenges in the department, that is no longer the case.
"The police department has not had the manpower to adequately staff the assigned schools with school resource officers. Therefore, we, this school division must take action to address this gap by securing our own personnel," said Byrdsong.
The school board will accept comments on the proposal on February 15 and is currently expected to vote on the budget in March.
