School Metal Detector Program Draws Numerous Requests

Governor Eric Holcomb will be the keynote speaker at this week's event.

Hundreds of schools throughout the state are taking Governor Eric Holcomb up on his offer to provide handheld metal detectors at no cost. Holcomb’s office says more than 3,200 devices have been requested since the program was announced earlier this month.

The governor says 369 school entities, including 94 percent of all traditional public school corporations, have requested the devices. The program makes one handheld metal detector available for every 250 students in a school building. It is part of an initiative by the state to boost school safety efforts.

"I am pleased so many of our schools have chosen to request these metal detectors," Holcomb said in a news release. "This program is all about giving local school leaders one more resource at their disposal to include in their safety plans."

The schools who requested devices in the first around should see them arrive next month. Those that did not place an order will have the opportunity to do so in the fall.