On Oct. 25, Dallas ISD announced the implementation of a new department designated to provide technology and security enhancements.
The systems, some already in place, include cameras, keycards and readers, metal detectors, shatterproof window film, intercoms and visitor identification system. The new department is also in charge of clear backpacks, door alarms, door lock blocks and other tools to improve safety and security, according to the DISD news release.
The safety campaign is being led by Marlon Brooks, former principal at Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School.
This new department works closely with Student Engagement, the Sandy Hook Promise initiative and campus crisis teams.
A new alert app will allow teachers and school administrators to lock down a building in case of a threat or suspicious activity. The silent alert alarms will be school-specific, but the department will also have the ability to send out notifications when a threat is reported to an area or a feeder pattern, Chief of Operations David Bates said.
3D school maps are being developed through the department. The intent is to “better coordinate” with the Dallas ISD Police Department in case of an incident on campus.
Additional safety measures also include hiring more police officers, armed campus security officers, and public safety officers, the district’s Chief of Police John Lawton said.
The district has transitioned to a new P25 digital radio system, providing DISD with direct communication with the Dallas Police and Dallas Fire Rescue departments. This system reduces the possibility of communication interference and improves communication with other first responders in the metroplex.
“Safety is an ongoing process,” Chief Lawton said in the news release. “When we find a better way to do something, or better technology that we can implement to help keep our kids and our schools safe, we put that to use. It’s a constant, ongoing process.”
