Officials with Columbus City Schools demonstrated the district's new next-generation weapons detection system Friday at East High School.
The system was created by Massachusetts-based Evolv Technology. The company said its devices work differently from traditional metal detectors and rely instead on artificial intelligence and extremely low frequency radio waves (ELF).
Evolv claims its devices can tell the difference between weapons and personal items, such as keys and cell phones.
The company has faced questions about the reliability of its system, including a recent report by the BBC which presented evidence that the Evolv Express system "failed to detect large knives 42% of the time."
Chris Baker, safety and security officer for CCS, expressed confidence that the system will work. "We've had the opportunity to have a demonstration at two of our schools before we started this, and were able to utilize what we need to do: deter the students from bringing items into the schools."
Rather than owning the system, the district is paying over $3 million to lease the system for four years. "The way that subscription works is it provides the software, the hardware, the installation, the service and there's ongoing updates as well. So typically, we'll update the technology in the software about two times a year with improvements," said Anil Chitkara, Evolv's founder and chief growth officer.
Baker said the Evolv system will be installed at every CCS high school in the next couple of weeks, replacing the traditional metal detectors the district began using "on a random basis" last April.
Baker also said those machines slowed down the process of getting students into school buildings. "We've had long lines of students out in the cold waiting to get in, you know, but it still is a deterrent. With this system, the design assists us with being able to expedite safe entry and allow our students to get to class on time."
Baker said the old machines will be deployed to lower schools in the district in the near future.
The unveiling of the new system comes after a number of security failures at the school district. Most recently, a CCS student allegedly brought a gun to Eastmoor Academy in a backpack.
The Columbus Division of Police report they issued arrest warrants for the student after he left the school without the backpack. The gun was reported to be stolen out of Martin County, Florida.
A spokesperson for the district tells WOSU the student will face disciplinary actions, including potential suspension or expulsion.
