Leon County Schools adding a weapon detecting dog and metal detectors as new safety initiative

Leon County Schools taking step to prevent weapons being brough onto campus

WTXL | By Kandace Blake | December 6, 2022

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — “We have to count on each other. One of the things that we say to our students when we’re having assemblies is that you’re a part of our security plan. If you see something, say something,” said Joe Burgess, the principal of Chiles High School.

Burgess said after the pandemic, the school system experienced a rise in weapons being brought to school. Now, Burgess and other principals throughout Leon County have come together with the school system’s safety team and thought of way to prevent this from happening again.

“Our nation is experiencing an epidemic. It is not a Leon County Schools epidemic or the state of Florida epidemic. It’s a nationwide epidemic and it is affecting our local community,” said Chief of Safety Security Jimmy Williams.

Williams says the main goal is keep guns off campus. The district outlined three upgrades to its safety: Metal detectors that will be used randomly to sweep schools, The district’s new patrol dog that can sniff out firearms as well as an anonymous alert program each middle and high school will have.

“If they don’t feel safe, they’re not going to learn,” said Williams.

The district has seen several instances of weapons being found on campus, an issue schools in the district are wanting to tackle head on.

“This is not an end all be all. It’s another measure and part of is that we continue to evaluate. However, we will need to adjust things, we will do that,” said Burgess.