BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Public School District said it put together a team to explore how to improve safety within the district, because it is one of Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams top priorities.
"We had a principal on the team. We had a building security officer on the team. We did have a central office staff number. We did have our executive director of security. We made sure a lot of stakeholders were on the team to review the proposals," David Hills, the Chief Operating Officer of the district, said.
The district has submitted a proposal to the Buffalo Public School Board asking to purchase handheld metal detectors, concealed weapons detection systems, and two-way radios.
In total, the purchase would cost the district more than $3 million.
"A lot of people may look at it and see a hefty dollar amount. There's no price too high for student safety," Hills said.
Back in February, a student was stabbed and a security guard was shot outside of McKinley High School. In September, a student was stabbed at the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts.
Attorney John Elmore represents the two students who were stabbed while at school. He said these security measures should have been purchased and added to schools prior to the start of the school year.
"I represent a student who has a zipper on his stomach that was stabbed wide open. I have a student at Emerson that has a punctured lung. These parents, when you send your child to school, you expect your child to come home safe. It shouldn't be a place where there are guns, where there are stabbings, where there are fights and assaults. The City of Buffalo School System has to step up," Elmore said.
Members of Parent Congress meet with Superintendent Dr. Williams monthly. Edward Speidel, a member of Parent Congress and the president of the District Parent Coordinating Council, said they tell her safety is their number one concern.
"In general I think it's pretty safe. I'm glad we're updating our equipment and going to the next level, so it's long overdue," Speidel said.
Jeff Rinaldo, a partner at Vista Security, said the walk-through concealed weapons detection system will speed up the process fo getting students into the building, which is just one of the benefits of this technology.
"They are also foolproof. They are not prone to human error. You're allowing the machine to do the complete body searching for you. The handheld metal detectors are used if a secondary search is necessary. Obviously, two way radios are absolutely necessary. It gives them the ability to communicate with other security officers, staff, and administrators in the building," Rinaldo said.
The school board will vote on these security measures Wednesday.
"The security upgrades that the board is voting on at Wednesday’s meeting are the latest step the district is taking to improve security in the Buffalo Public Schools. They are part of a series of improvements proposed by Superintendent Williams in her security plan. We are hopeful that the equipment will be delivered and installed as soon as it can be. The district is always working to improve the security and well being of our students, teachers, and all members of our BPS family," School Board President Louis Petrucci said.
"We have an utmost responsibility to ensure that our students and staff are safe at all times in our schools. Three contracts on [Wednesday's] board agenda for new two-way radios, handheld weapon detectors, and, in particular, walkthrough weapons detection systems, are long overdue in our schools. It is also noteworthy that the largest of these contracts for the walkthrough weapons detection systems is recommended with a local and minority and women-owned business," School Board Member Larry Scott said.
No other school board members responded to 7 News's request for a statement.
