8401 - HANDHELD METAL DETECTOR WAND SEARCHES
Purpose
The New Albany Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation (NAFCS) is committed to maintaining safe, orderly schools, to promote health and safety within the school setting, and to provide a school environment conducive to education. To combat school violence and the potential presence of weapons in our schools, the District may utilize metal detectors to detect firearms, knives, and other weapons. This policy is applicable in all situations in which students are subject to school disciplinary rules pursuant to I.C.20- 33-8-14 including:
on school grounds immediately before or during school hours, or immediately after school hours, or at any other time when the school is being used by a school group;
off school grounds at a school activity, function, or event; or
traveling to or from school or a school activity, function, or event.
Authority
Pursuant to I.C.35-47-9-2, it is a criminal offense to possess any firearm in or on school property or on a school bus. Pursuant to I.C. 35-47-5-2.5 it is a criminal offense to possess a knife in or on school property or on a school bus.
Purchase and Training
The Superintendent may recommend the Board purchase metal detectors approved for the District’s intended use, shall schedule training and re-training for all personnel using metal detectors, and shall coordinate all District metal detector tests in accordance with the requirements as outlined in the manufacturer’s specifications and these procedures.
Metal Detector Screening Procedures
All students may be subject to screening. In the event metal detector screenings are conducted:
Metal detector screenings of students and their belongings shall be conducted in an orderly and safe manner, consistent with industry standards for use of the detectors, and consistent with minimizing intrusion into students’ privacy rights.
Students and their personal belongings shall be screened by District employees using a hand-held metal detector (wand) owned by the District. The screening should be conducted, when possible, by an employee of the same sex of the student.
Consistent scanning techniques shall be used for each student.
The District employee conducting the metal detector search should not make contact with the student’s body with the wand.
Prior to being scanned with a wand, a student will be asked to remove any metal objects (e.g. keys, phones, belt buckles, etc.) and set those objects aside. If during the screening of a student the detector is activated, the student shall be asked whether he or she has anything made of metal in the area scanned. If the article is removable (e.g. a set of keys), the student shall be asked to remove the article and the screening repeated. If the detector is again activated and the article cannot be removed (e.g. a belt buckle), the staff member shall visually confirm the student’s explanation. If the activation cannot be explained or eliminated, then the student and his or her belongings shall be directed to a private area. An expanded search (i.e. a pat down of the student or inspection of a book-bag or purse) shall be conducted, if possible, by an employee of the same sex as the student. At least one other school employee shall be present during any search. The scope of the search should be focused on detecting a weapon.
The purpose of metal detector screenings is to deter the possession of weapons such as guns, knives, or other dangerous objects capable of inflicting bodily harm or injury.
Screenings are not to be used for the purpose of searching students suspected of violation of other school policies and regulations. If during a screening contraband is incidentally discovered (such as tobacco or drugs), the possession of which is a violation of school policy or statute, the items shall be confiscated and students will be subject to discipline.
District employees shall not conduct a strip search or arrange any clothing of an individual to permit a visual inspection of the underclothing, breast, buttocks, or genitalia.
Possession of a firearm, knife or other dangerous object shall subject students to disciplinary proceedings and/or arrest.
Reasonable Suspicion
When the school administration has reasonable suspicion to believe that weapons are in the possession of an identified student, the administration is authorized to use a mobile metal detector to search the student.
"Individualized reasonable suspicion" means a belief based on the totality of the circumstances which, when taken together in the context of the school building or activity in which they occur, make the student or property searched more likely than a student or property selected at random to contain or possess evidence of a violation of state or federal law, a violation of school rule, or a condition that endangers the safety or health of the students or others. Information provided by other persons may be considered by an administrator as a part of the administrator’s individualized reasonable suspicion where the administrator has reason to believe the information is credible.
Random Checks
A principal may decide to conduct a random metal detector check on all students before entering the school, or he or she may select a group of students to be checked at random on a neutral, nondiscriminatory basis. Metal detector checks of groups of individuals may not be used to single out a particular individual or category of individuals.
Before conducting the metal detector checks, the participating administrator will explain the scanning process to students, emphasizing that the checks are intended to maintain safe schools.
An administrator will escort each student with his or her personal effects into a designated area to proceed with the metal detector check.
Avoiding or Refusing Detection Process
When a student attempts to avoid a metal detector screening, it shall be considered sufficient cause to immediately search the person and their belongings. Anyone refusing to submit to the metal detection screening will be considered grounds for disciplinary action.
Students with Disabilities
District employees will be instructed to ensure that people with disabilities will be thoroughly screened while being sensitive to each person’s condition. Service animals will be visually inspected.
Law Enforcement Involvement
The school principal or his or her designee will generally not use law enforcement officers to conduct metal detector screenings; however, the school resource officer may assist or be present when school employees conduct screenings. Law enforcement officer involvement in metal detector screening procedures will be limited to:
Sharing information regarding threats made against students, administrators, teachers, or the School that may require the school to conduct metal detector screenings, and
Calling upon law enforcement in the event that a weapon is discovered or suspected based on a metal detector activation.
New Albany-Floyd Co. School Corporation