School Board directs superintendent to come up with plan for metal detectors at all Broward high schools

FORT LAUDERDALE - The Broward School Board directed the new superintendent Tuesday to come up with a plan to put metal detectors in all 31 Broward High schools by the end of the fall semester.

Initially, the board had targeted ten high schools beginning with a pilot program this summer at Flanagan High School and JP Taravella High School.

New Duperintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn says he will be able to find the additional money, so a total allocation of 1.8 million dollars will be needed to put 2 to 4 detectors at each high school.

Existing safety personnel will monitor the detectors.

It's unclear what will happen if someone is caught with a weapon. Right now, local law enforcement is called. The district says they are formulating a protocol to deal with students who have banned items.

CBS News Miami partner The Miami Herald reported that in the 2022-2023 school year, Broward County saw 220 weapons-related incidents , about four percent of those involved guns.

The school district said there's another benefit to walk-through metal detectors, the reduction in vape pens.