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Little Rock School District Board votes to buy mobile metal detectors

At a board meeting tonight, the Little Rock School Board voted to buy metal detectors for high school and middle school campuses across the district.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — At a board meeting tonight, the Little Rock School Board voted to put metal detectors in high school and middle school campuses across the district.

The decision came after the district saw an uptick in weapons being brought on campus this year— within the past couple of months, 2 loaded handguns have been brought into Central High School.

The new weapons detection system will be similar to what was used at the state fair and Razorback games.

The metal detectors won't pick up on change, keys, or cellphones, so students won't have to empty out their pockets— but they will detect chrome books and binders due to their metal strips.

The new systems will be mobile and able to be moved from school to school as needed. Additionally, it won't require a security guard to operate.

The district is estimated to receive around 34 machines in total.

First-year operating funds will come from ESSER funds through the American Rescue Plan Act dedicated to public schools.

An optional fee per unit of $850 will permit them to record analytical data, which is on a year-by-year basis and can be dropped at any point. 

The vote passed without any opposition.

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