Barry Brown, principal at Gibbs High School, walks through a new weapon detection system. Image: Pinellas County Schools.
Two schools in Pinellas County began testing new weapon detection systems on Tuesday. Hyper-responsive settings and rain dampened the launch at one site.
Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg and Palm Harbor University High School are participating in a pilot program that runs through May 29. District officials chose the locations “based on the size of their campuses and the number of students and staff at each,” according to the announcement.
The advanced, walk-through systems typically utilize artificial intelligence to detect weapons while “allowing students to move efficiently through designated entry points.” However, students at Palm Harbor University High reportedly endured long lines in the rain on Tuesday morning as the technology flagged belts, jewelry, and other items they were told didn’t need to be removed.
Those false alarms necessitated additional screenings, which exacerbated the problem. Isabel Mascarenas, public information officer for Pinellas County Schools (PCS), said in a prepared statement that one of three checkpoints closed earlier than scheduled “due to an operational adjustment and the inclement weather.”
“However, other checkpoints at the school remained open and continued to process students smoothly,” Mascarenas added. “These challenges are expected during a pilot and will help us refine the process to ensure both efficiency and student safety.”
The goal is to evaluate how the systems perform in high-traffic environments, including morning arrivals and large school events. District administrators, the PCS police department, and local law enforcement partners at each campus are overseeing implementation.
Gibbs High avoided any inaugural issues, and both schools will continue testing the technology. Principal Barry Brown, in a PCS video, noted that the systems are increasingly common at many public events and facilities.
“Unlike traditional metal detectors, individuals do not need to remove most items from their pockets or backpacks before passing through the systems,” Brown said. “However, BLUE items – binders, laptops, umbrellas, and eyeglass cases – may need to be removed from backpacks and handed to staff members to help prevent false alarms.”
Students should not have to remove their cell phones, keys, coins, jackets, belts, wallets, watches, or jewelry. PCS is testing systems from Evolv and OPENGATE.
Lee County’s school district reported a 39% decrease in safety incidents after installing OPENGATE systems. No facilities showed an increase.
However, other districts have also encountered false alarms. An automated weapon detection system triggered a “Code Red” at a middle school near Orlando in December 2025 because a student held a clarinet like a rifle.
Pinellas County Schools will continue fine-tuning the technology throughout the pilot program. Image: Pinellas County Schools.
A PCS website states that vendor representatives and the district’s safety and security team trained administrators and staff. The principals of both pilot schools also visited facilities in Manatee and Sarasota Counties that have implemented similar systems to ensure that “questions from a school perspective were thoroughly addressed.”
Joe Weisman, chief of schools police for PCS, said the district will “utilize information from this pilot to inform future decisions and implementation.” Sean Jowell, director of safety and security, told the media on Monday that elementary and middle schools could receive the systems if the school board “chooses to move forward in that direction.”
”Is there some pushback? Of course there is,” Jowell said. “There always is, but that’s a balance. Honestly, I couldn’t tell what it’s going to look like at the end of this, but we’re going to find out.”
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