Santa Fe Strong Safety & Security Committee Unanimously Recommended Installation of Metal Detectors

AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued the following statement today in response to the Santa Fe Independent School District Board of Trustees vote last night to install metal detectors at the entrances to their schools before the school year begins this year. The Santa Fe Strong Safety & Security Committee made a unanimous recommendation to the Santa Fe ISD trustees that metal detectors be installed.

“Immediately following the tragic shooting in Santa Fe, I announced that I would make securing entrances and exits to our schools a top priority. Though there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for school security, in many cases, metal detectors are an obvious first step. I know from speaking with families of victims and other parents in Santa Fe that installing metal detectors is vitally important to them. I offered to donate the metal detectors to their school district to make sure they could move forward with this critical security upgrade immediately and have them in place before school starts, if the local school board made that determination. I am working with Santa Fe ISD regarding the implementation of this donation.”

Lt. Gov. Patrick has also pledged that the Texas Senate will propose a new matching fund program in the next legislative session for any school that wants to install metal detectors or use wands for inspection.
Santa Fe Strong Safety & Security Committee includes representatives from Santa Fe ISD police, Galveston County Sheriff’s Department deputies, members of the Gulf Coast Center and the Galveston County Emergency Management Office, a member of the Santa Fe Ministerial Alliance, district administrators, a district counselor, two school board members, Santa Fe ISD staff members, community members and 10 parents of children in all age groups.