CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Rossview High School has been added to the pilot program for a new weapons detection system in Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools.
In April, it was announced that a new weapons detection system would be tested at a Clarksville-Montgomery County high school this fall, under a proposal that was later approved by county commissioners.
Northwest High was selected to pilot the system first because it has the most streamlined entrance points, according to CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson.
Rossview was chosen to be the second pilot site since it has the largest student population with more complex logistics. Data and feedback from the two contrasting test sites will guide the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and CMCSS for future plans.
Johnson said the CMCSS Safety and Health Department and MCSO will provide schools with guidance and protocols for daily use of the technology.
“The system will be installed later this month and will be ready for testing at Northwest High on the first day of school,” he said. “There will be training and practice sessions for administrators, faculty and staff involved in implementation before the first day. The transition to Rossview High is planned for mid-year.”
How it works
Earlier in May, a team of county officials traveled to Champaign, Illinois, where the system was implemented, to look at the system first-hand.
The Evolv Express system, from Evolv Technologies, is a dual-lane unit that expands to about 24 feet of open space for students to walk through, and it has the capacity to read up to 4,100 people per hour.
In addition to weapons, including pocket knives and shell casings, the system can be programmed to pick up vapes, according to previous reports.
According to their website, Evolv Express is designed to “accelerate physical security screening while maintaining the highest degree of weapons detection accuracy. It eliminates the friction that visitors, fans, patrons, employees and students typically experience moving through security by screening them in a touchless manner. This helps reduce the security risk of crowded security lines. It also drastically reduces false alarm rates and human errors by security guards.”
Many families have likely encountered Evolv technologies at a venue like Nissan Stadium, GEODIS Park or other stadiums and arenas. CMCSS will be one of the first in Tennessee to pilot Evolv on school campuses.
“The pilot of Elvolv technologies will be one of several enhancements as we continue to explore opportunities to proactively improve our layers of safety and security in our schools,” Johnson said.
