Atlanta Public Schools screening middle, high school students for weapons under new system
Nick Nesmith / WABE
Atlanta Public Schools officials have added the same weapon detection systems at arenas like Mercedes-Benz Stadium in all APS middle and high schools.
The artificial intelligence-based weapons detection system comes in the wake of deadly shootings in November and December that took the lives of several Atlanta children — including two public school teens near Atlantic Station.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, APS and other metro school districts have made school security and combating youth gun violence a legislative priority in 2023.
APS officials cite the mass amount of students arriving simultaneously made it difficult for the school system’s metal detectors to screen every person passing through its entrances. Because of that, APS schools found more than two dozen guns on their campuses last year.
APS Police Chief Ronald Applin joined WABE’s Morning Edition to share updates on how the screening is going so far in the new year.
Lily Oppenheimer contributed to this report.
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