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Council approves open‑gate weapon detection system for Ralph arena; safety grant to offset cost
Summary
The council voted to accept a quote and purchase an open‑gate weapon detection walkthrough system for ticketed events at the Ralph arena, funding it with a mix of bond funds and a safety grant (about $21,600). Council discussed remaining bond balances and operational questions before approving the purchase by voice vote.
The Thief River Falls City Council voted to purchase an open‑gate weapon‑detection walkthrough system for ticketed events at the Ralph arena, approving a motion after council members discussed how the purchase would be funded and how it would operate during events.
Travis (speaker 14), who presented the item, described the system as an "open gate" detection technology that looks for mass metal and is faster for patrons to move through than a traditional metal detector. He said venues and some schools are adopting similar systems and that staff typically runs a secondary station to check alerts rather than relying on law enforcement for every screening.
Council members discussed funding. City staff (speaker 10) said a safety grant of about $21,600 would be applied, and that after the purchase the remaining bond funds would be approximately $45,000. The mayor said he was trying to allocate grant and police department resources to reduce levy impacts where possible.
A motion to accept the quote and purchase one open‑gate weapon detection system was made by Councilman Preem and seconded by Councilman Nobrud; the motion passed on a voice vote with "aye" called; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.
Why it matters: City officials said the system would speed entry at events and improve security without requiring a police officer at every screening; funding choices were discussed in the context of the broader 2026 budget and levy concerns.
What’s next: Staff will complete procurement and apply the safety grant per the current funding plan; details on vendor, installation schedule and operation are expected through administrative channels.
Representative quote: "These open gate systems are being used by a lot of schools, and a lot of different venues are moving towards these open gates for that purpose," Travis said.
