The Gwinnett County Public School System has implemented a new set of safety measures. | Pixabay
The Gwinnett County Public School System has implemented a new set of safety measures. | Pixabay
The Gwinnett County Public School System has implemented a new set of safety measures to mark the start of the new school year.
Tony Lockhart, Gwinnett County Public Schools police chief, said it is necessary to draw a fine line between keeping the school safe and making it look like a military installation.
“We're not just reacting, but we're being proactive," Lockhart told Fox 5 Atlanta.
Gwinnett County schools will implement a new visitor check-in program called “Raptor,” sending visitors to designated doors to be buzzed in, Fox 5 reported. Each visitor will be run through a database to confirm they are not a registered sex offender and those who come back clean will be allowed to enter.
According to the report, 15 schools in Georgia are equipped with secure vestibules as an extra layer of security, while at least 19 schools are in the process of getting the security upgrade, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
The district has nearly 100 school resource officers (SROs) with plans to hire about more, Fox 5 reported. Most of the SROs are stationed at middle and high schools.