North Carolina Charter School Tests Active Shooter Detection System
High Point NC June 1 2019
Phoenix Academy, a charter school with three campuses, is serving as a beta site for a new video-integrated active shooter detection system.
The system is designed to instantly, automatically alert law enforcement about school threats as well as give first responders access to security cameras to help them assess and address the threat more effectively.
The new system is set off the instant a shot is fired or a fire alarm is pulled, alerting local authorities to the emergency.
At the same time, it activates school security cameras, allowing employees at the 911 call center to see what’s happening at the campus and locate the exact position of the threat.
Former Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Colonel Randy Powers, who worked on improving school safety during his time at the department, said he believes the system will be very helpful when there’s a threat at school.
“The video will be visible at 911 with data sent to the computers in police cars,” Powers said. “Responding officers will no longer be going in blind.”
Phoenix Academy Superintendent Kim Norcross said the automated nature of the integrated system will be very helpful.
“This system takes a weight off of our team,” Norcross said. “Staff, teachers, and administrators have a new level of comfort knowing it will help provide authorities with accurate information during an emergency without the need for one of them to make a call to 911.
That means we can focus on getting our students to safety.”
