Metal Detectors In Place At Lakewood Elementary Schools

LAKEWOOD, NJ — When Lakewood students return to school in the fall, increased security measures will be in place: metal detectors purchased by the school district were put in place this week.

Everyone entering schools throughout the district will have to pass through the devices, which were added to the district's elementary schools following a June 5 incident where a 9-year-old brought a loaded .22-caliber handgun to school.

Another student reported the handgun to administrators and it was confiscated from the child without incident, authorities said. Initially, it was believed the gun was intercepted before the student entered the building at Oak Street Elementary School, but a more extensive review of the incident found the child had actually carried it into the building.

In the aftermath, Lakewood school officials immediately announced they were purchasing metal detectors for the elementary schools. Detectors already are in place at the middle and high schools. In addition, all district students will be required to use clear backpacks in the fall, the district announced last week.

"We don't need to wait for any more incidents," Board Attorney Michael Inzelbuch said. "One time is enough."

On Thursday, security officials from the Lakewood School District demonstrated the machine at Oak Street Elementary and explained the basic procedures that will be used to scan students and their backpacks beginning in September.

All students will be required to pass through the detector, which will have one person manning the unit. A second security officer will be at a table next to the unit checking students' backpacks to ensure they are not carrying any weapons.

The detectors are designed to light up and give an indication of where on the body the metal is located — head, torso, or feet — and security officers will have hand wands to then check for specifics.

"Big jewelry, big belt buckles can set it off," said James Devaney, one of the district's security officers, as he demonstrated the machine's sensitivity with a student from another school district. He said officers will have to exercise some common sense as they screen students just because of the number of students.

Robert DeSimone, who will become the district's head of security on July 1, was on hand for the demonstration as well. While the incidents at other school districts locally — including a foiled high school graduation shooting plot in Plumsted — and around the nation have heightened security concerns, an incident in another district doesn't automatically mean there is an active threat to all.

"Each school district is separate," said DeSimone, who was a lieutenant in the Lakewood Police Department before retiring in December.

See the demonstration by Devaney below.

Photo and video by Karen Wall, Patch staff