DeKalb officials say weapons detections fell after new screening but cite human error and staffing gaps

Elijah Palmer, chief of staff for the DeKalb County School District, told the school board on May 1 that investments in Evolve weapon detectors and Syntegix staff alert badges have reduced the number of weapons recovered on campuses but have not eliminated incidents.

Palmer said the district has recorded 10 total guns discovered to date this school year. “Two never made it into the building, four were brought onto campus by nonstudents, two were recovered in staff vehicles, one was stopped at an entrance by the Evolve system and three were missed due to user error,” Palmer said.

The district installed Evolve detectors and Syntegix badges in middle and high schools after a February 2023 board approval. Palmer said Syntegix staff alerts were used 1,461 times this school year for events ranging from drills to full lockdowns, down from 2,504 alerts in year one of implementation as staff refined expectations about when to use the system.

Why it matters: The district is weighing technical defenses against threats alongside staffing and procedural improvements. Palmer emphasized the limits of technology: "It's not always the system or the technology. There's human error that occurs," he said, adding that adequate personnel and vigilance remain critical.

Supporting details: Palmer said the district added elementary security associates, campus supervisors in middle and high schools and SRO coverage; the district intends to reach a target of 92 SRO positions but has hired 28 since July 2024, leaving the district about 10 SROs short of its stated target. He also told the board that 85% of high schools currently have two SROs and that the district is developing a staffing formula to allocate campus supervisors based on enrollment and discipline data.

Board members asked whether national litigation and news about Evolve affected the district’s decision to continue the vendor. Palmer said he had consulted Chief Whaley, the district’s chief of public safety, and that the district’s conclusion was that Evolve is a useful deterrent when combined with staffing and procedures.

Palmer urged the board to treat the systems as layers of protection. He described plans to add a conveyor-belt-style screening component for bags — similar to airport screening — and said the district plans to present that addition to the board in June or July.

What’s next: District leaders said they will continue to refine procedures, hire staff to reach staffing targets and present any proposed hardware or screening enhancements to the board for approval.