Superintendent Eric Bolin told the MSD Martinsville Schools Board the district recently received a tip routed through 911 that indicated a possible gun-related threat at Martinsville High School and that law enforcement and school administrators had the situation contained within four minutes.

Bolin said the quick response was possible because the district employs its own police officers, has canine units, and recently invested in a new radio system and a district video network. “Four minutes, four minutes, we were able to have our law enforcement and our administration at the high school have the situation contained, under control, and ensuring that there were no weapons or issues that was going to put our kids and staff in jeopardy,” Bolin said.

The superintendent described the district police as ILEA (Indiana Law Enforcement Academy) certified and said the department includes an officer assigned each day to the high school, two additional district officers and a part-time officer in rotation. He said the district’s cameras (identified in the meeting as Verkada) allowed staff to trace a student’s path through multiple cameras “and every action that they possibly did” in minutes. Bolin also credited a recently upgraded radio system with helping administrators and officers arrive quickly at the locations indicated by dispatch.

Bolin reviewed other school safety measures already in place: regular safety drills using the ALICE protocol, a StopIt anonymous reporting app for students to report bullying or threats, after‑hours vaping education classes (the district’s “Save” program), and district partnerships with city or county officers filling gaps under contract. He described these elements as part of a broader, proactive security program that includes customized emergency plans for each school.

Bolin asked the community to help curb threatening social‑media comments, which he said create significant disruption and require expanded staff and police resources to investigate. He thanked the board for funding the police force and technology upgrades and singled out former board members Michelle Ball and Don Lipps for earlier work to secure those resources.

No formal board action or vote was taken on the presentation. Board members praised the district police and staff for their response and for the investments in equipment and training.