New Jersey School District to Install Entry Screening Solution

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

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.