LOUISVILLE, Ky — Board members and community members attended a special meeting Tuesday night to discuss and vote on bringing weapon detectors to Jefferson County Public Schools. 

The board ultimately voted to advance the proposal to install Evolv weapon detection systems in middle and high schools in the district. The estimated cost for the project is $3-4 million per year. 

“I’m just not sure what rational basis we have of, based on the information we’ve currently been given to have any faith or confidence this will improve safety,” JCPS Board Member Dr. Chris Kolb said. 

Others believe action must be taken now. 

“There is no excuse for bringing a firearm onto school property. We’ve had 26 guns this year. If we don’t put something in place to help us screen these out, it will just increase,” Lina Duncan, a JCPS School Board member said. “Doing nothing, to me, is not an option.”

Superintendent Marty Pollio also said it’s important to implement the services. 

“We have seen this weapons detection in person. I’ve seen it, the team’s seen it and I think it can be effective. If this is something that is not effective, we can take away,” Pollio said. 

Community members made their voices heard at the meeting. 

“I think it’s a really sad response. We all want our children to be safe. None of us want guns in the school. But as said earlier tonight, there are a lot of ways to do that. The most effective being the student- teacher relationship and supporting students,” Sonja Wilde-Devries, a JCPS teacher, said. 

The district plans to install half the systems by the 2023-2024 school year.