BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One of the biggest concerns for parents as we head back to school is their kids safety. According to a Gallop Poll, 38% of parents are worried about their child's physical safety going into this school year.
School districts across Western New York are looking to ease this worry by enhancing security at schools. Some school districts have completed major upgrades to their security systems like the Williamsville Central School District.
Director of Communications Nick Filipowski told me the district was able to make the upgrades through the "School Security Project", a $43 million project that was approved by voters.
"That includes safety barriers on the outside, increased cameras, increased lighting and secured vestibules for our visitors to enter and exit," Filipowski said.
The vestibules act as an extra waiting area for people looking to enter the school. It's a space between the outside door and the door to actually enter the building.
"When you get to the school, you'll be buzzed in, announce yourself and do additional security checks before you're granted access into the school," Filipowski added.
The Niagara Falls City School District is preparing to make security upgrades, following suit with Williamsville and add the vestibules into school buildings.
Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie said the school also plans to adopt a security system that is in place at the Grand Island Central School District called Zero Eyes. The system can detect a weapon through a camera.
"This is artificial intelligence that will pick up through a program on your camera any type of weapon that may be displayed outside of your building," Laurrie said. "If we can even delay, with our vestibules, our glass, our new camera system, a few seconds, that can be a matter of saving many many lives".
Laurrie wanted to make it clear that this new camera system to detect weapons does not use facial recognition.
The new upgrade to the cameras is currently vetted by the technology committee at the district. The district is waiting to see if the new system is compatible with their current security cameras. If the system is compatible, the district is expecting to have it installed before the winter season.
