Amsterdam schools' new safety measures yield positive results
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AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- New security measures implemented at the start of the Greater Amsterdam School District’s academic year have improved safety for students. NEWS10 checked in with the superintendent and district safety officer now that they’ve reached the halfway point of the school year to see how the new technology has made a difference.
Evolv Express, the weapons detection system, uses artificial intelligence to identify weapons while reducing false alarms. This system allows for more efficient movement of students through the detectors.
“The whole idea behind going through a metal detector is making sure that when you do enter into a school building, you're here to learn, and that's what it's about," said District Safety Officer Ken Cooper. "I've had this conversation with the superintendent: we can't make it a prison, and it's not a prison, it's a learning environment."
Superintendent Richard Ruberti said he's seen incidents drastically reduce through a combination of phone-free classrooms--as students have to put their devices in Yondr pouches during school--and the enhanced security.
“We haven't seen the weapons coming in. Whether it's a deterrent--the systems are checked on a regular basis to make sure they're accurate and picking up anything," said Ruberti, "but it's had a dramatic impact. We haven't had those incidents we've had in the last few years. We've seen students acclimating to it. It's something adults get used to; it's something kids have gotten used to. Elementary and middle school has metal detectors when needed, so that's part of the process that they've unfortunately become used to in their lives."
The district has also tightened rules regarding students ordering meal delivery to the campus, to keep unknown visitors at a minimum.
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