Comal ISD board approves wearable Raptor badge alert system, board cites improved campus response; $220K annual cost estimated
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Summary
Trustees unanimously approved a districtwide purchase of wearable Raptor badges to provide location-aware staff alerts and lockdown capability; staff said installation credits reduced upfront costs and net recurring costs will be about $126,000 per year above existing subscriptions.
The Comal ISD Board of Trustees voted Dec. 11 to approve a districtwide wearable Raptor badge alert system designed to provide location‑aware emergency input and campus lockdown capability.
Scott Monroe and security staff described a small, single-button badge that can issue a "team assist" alert (three presses) or a full campus lockdown (rapid seven presses), and that uses Bluetooth/GPS beacons to identify a badge’s location on campus. Monroe showed the board a proof-of-concept deployment at Mayfair Elementary and explained that substitutes and rotating staff could use checkout badges tied to the campus so alerts route correctly.
Cost and procurement: Monroe said Raptor initially offered $135,000 of installation services, which the district was able to have waived for the remaining 37 campuses; staff reported a $72,000 near-term installation cost for this fiscal year and estimated an annual districtwide service charge of $220,000. After accounting for existing emergency‑management subscriptions (about $93,000 included in that number), Monroe said the net new annual cost to the district would be about $126,000.
Trustee action: Trustee Amanda Jones moved to approve the purchase; the motion was seconded and carried on a 5–0 vote.
Why it matters: Staff said the wearable badges address audit and operational gaps (substitutes without app accounts, outdoor/playground alerts) and provide a low-effort way to notify campus administration and law enforcement of the precise badge location. Trustees asked about issuing badges to SROs and after‑school-care staff; staff said SROs would be offered checkout badges and that issuing badges to SAC employees would be appropriate.
Operational notes: Badges are rechargeable (4–6 months battery life), have mapping in the emergency dashboard showing which staff member initiated an alert, and will be managed with checkout/in procedures for temporary staff and SROs.
The board approved the purchase as presented; staff said the system will be integrated with existing Raptor emergency-management subscriptions.