Add as a preferred source on Google

New Jersey School District to Install Entry Screening Solution

  • By Matt Jones
  • 11/29/22

Patriot One Technologies recently announced that it will install entry screening solutions for a school district in Lakewood, N.J., according to a news release. The Lakewood Township district will utilize the SmartGateway weapons screening system to prevent students, faculty, staff, and others from bringing weapons into schools across the district. The installation comes against the backdrop of a recent report revealing that up to 3 percent of high school students have brought weapons onto school property.

“After sending security experts to trade shows to evaluate opinions and performing and aggressive analysis of various technology solutions, and rigorous onsite testing, we were impressed with the versatility and consistency of Patriot One’s solution,” said Lakewood Board of Education security director Robert DeSimone. “The SmartGateway can be easily moved to different areas of our facilities, depending on events we are holding, and can be integrated easily with future technology systems and upgrades in Lakewood Schools.”

The solution uses AI-powered sensors to screen for hidden weapons like guns, knives, and more as people pass through pillars. People being screened don’t have to remove any of their personal items, ensuring a quick and thorough entry process that “offers a more accurate detection rate than traditional security measures,” according to the news release.

“Lakewood Schools has already put efforts into protecting its students and staff, and the SmartGateway will help elevate that safety to a new level,” said Patriot One CEO Peter Evans. “Students were already accustomed to using walk-through metal detectors—our technology will let them enter the school much faster, while providing advanced security detection. This let students just be students again. They shouldn’t have to worry about weapons on campus while they’re trying to learn.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

Digital Edition