MESA, Ariz. — Big safety changes are coming to Mesa Public Schools.
On Tuesday night, the school board unanimously approved new safety measures with the goal of keeping guns off campus and students from vaping.
Allen Moore, the district's director for safety and security, said Tuesday these new measures are vital for keeping students and staff safe.
With the board's approval, Moore said weapon detectors will be set-up at Skyline High School that will detect large knives and weapons without students having to empty out their pockets like with typical metal detectors.
"They're very similar to what you might see at a Diamondbacks game," Moore said.
Following the pilot program at Skyline High School, Moore said other detectors will be installed at Mesa high schools. Eventually, the plan is to have them at every school in the district.
Moore said last school year there were about six instances of a student bringing a gun was seized on campus.
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“This year, we've had a couple but it's enough for us to heighten our security," Moore said.
Students have also expressed concerns about others vaping and using drugs in the bathroom during school. Leading to the board approving vape detectors being installed in bathrooms.
Moore said they are able to detect the chemicals in the vapes and alert staff. It's already being done at Red Mountain High School and Moore said it's happening every day.
“They've been getting about 15 alerts a day and they've been catching about five kids a day," Moore said.
The detectors are also able to determine if a student is smoking marijuana vape pens, which Moore said also happens frequently.
The other aspect of the measure is allowing the Mesa Police Department's Real Time Crime Center to access the nearly 3,000 cameras set up at all district schools. That way if there is a critical incident, police can see in real time what is happening at the school and respond accordingly.
As for the cost, Moore said a set of weapon detectors is about $20,000 and each vape detector is $1,600. That money now coming out of the school budget after voters voted "No" on the recent Mesa School bond measure that would have brought in $500 million in school safety programs.
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