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

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.