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Rutherford County Schools board hears OpenGate metal-detector demonstration
Summary
A vendor demonstrated OpenGate wireless walkthrough detectors to the Rutherford County Schools board as district staff described current use and early results; board members asked for pricing and comparisons and staff said a procurement item could return in April.
A vendor demonstration of OpenGate walkthrough metal-detection units and a district account of early school deployments took place at the Rutherford County Schools work session on March 6, 2025, as board members discussed whether to pursue wider purchases.
The demonstration showed a wireless, battery-operated walkthrough unit that the presenter said detects a range of metal items. Bill Muller, identified in the meeting as a retired police officer and training specialist for OpenGate and communications technologies, said the units have “300 zones of detection” compared with about 80 for a traditional archway, run on an 18-volt lithium battery and, in his demonstration, can be set up in “about a minute to two minutes.”
The district’s discussion mattered because board members said they are weighing how to add a security layer without disrupting school operations. A district staff member who described current classroom and building security said one middle school in Rutherford County is running a single OpenGate set for random checks and that the school processed 467 students through the unit in about 12 minutes during a trial. The same staff member said one principal reported that “10% of students feel safer with these in the school.”
Muller demonstrated features and limits during the session: he said the manufacturer advertises throughput of about 2,000 people per hour for a single set and that battery life runs about 12 to 14 hours; the devices weigh about 20–25 pounds (25 including batteries); sensitivity settings can be adjusted so the units detect objects as small as a scalpel, and the vendor estimates the units find about 50%–60% of vapes. He cautioned that some common student items — Chromebooks, three-ring binders, collapsible metal umbrellas and eyeglass cases — can trigger alarms depending on sensitivity settings.
Board members asked operational and procurement questions. The board requested pricing comparisons and vendor lists from other districts that have used the units. A board member asked whether district funds are available now; staff replied that fund balance and budget timing would determine any immediate purchase. Staff said they will examine state bid lists and other options and expected to return to the board for a possible April vote.
Members also compared OpenGate with other products used locally. A staff member said the district had previously used an “Evolve” system at one school and that Evolve required an annual subscription; the staff member said the Evolve subscription cited in the meeting runs about $20,000 per unit per year. Staff told trustees that OpenGate units report updates through a secure app and that vendor software updates are provided without an additional subscription fee.
The board did not take a formal procurement vote at the March 6 work session. District staff said they will provide more complete cost comparisons, state-bid options and references from other districts before returning with a purchase recommendation.
Questions or follow-up requests from trustees included: sample lists of nearby districts using the devices; an estimate of how many units would be needed for schools of different sizes; and an analysis of staffing impacts for routine checks. The board indicated interest in further information and comparisons before any formal action.
