PGCPS cites fewer weapons recoveries, lays out multi‑phase camera upgrade plan

Director Gary Cunningham, PGCPS director of safety and security, told the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on March 18 that incident reporting pulled from school administrators shows a notable shift in some categories and that camera upgrades are intended to improve both detection and post‑incident investigation.

Cunningham said district incident counts declined after 24‑25 safety enhancements; the transcript records 'in school year 23‑24... 6,651 incidents' and a lower figure the following year (transcript formatting of that number is unclear). He identified increases in possession/use/distribution of drugs—citing 'a total number of 625'—and a rise in vape‑related recoveries. By contrast, he said bomb threats and threats of mass violence have fallen, and he credited close coordination with the Prince George's County Police Department's Homeland Security unit.

On weapons, Cunningham said the district's weapons detection and security enhancement efforts have reduced recoveries: earlier implementation years saw into double‑digit firearm recoveries, last year recorded four and 'to date this school year, we've had one firearm recovered.' He described using camera footage to reverse‑track how weapons entered buildings and said that footage has been used as evidence in criminal investigations tied to an assault at Parkdale High School.

Cunningham detailed a multi‑phase camera upgrade plan: complete removal of analog cameras at all high schools (digital cameras expected by the start of the next school year), then phased upgrades to higher‑resolution cameras for entrances, gymnasiums and parking lots as funding allows. He said Parkdale will serve as a pilot for targeted technology placements and that one school's quoted upgrade cost was 'almost a half million dollars.' Proposed technologies include motion‑detector cameras for low‑staffed areas, voice‑activated triggers and two‑way audio, mobile tablets for administrators to receive alerts and respond, wireless cameras for hard‑to‑wire locations and radar cameras for low‑visibility conditions.

Board members pressed for privacy and operational details. Vice Chair Mrs. Brown asked whether families could use Ring cameras and whether police voucher programs could defray costs; Cunningham said the police department runs a Ring program but PGCPS systems are self‑contained and would not route data through third‑party platforms. He said the district is negotiating a memorandum of understanding to give the police department event‑driven access for large events or emergencies and said he would consult general counsel about public access policies. Director Cunningham said maintenance capacity includes about 16 alarm/maintenance technicians who perform most repairs and that the district has a maintenance budget for camera systems.

The district also noted other layered efforts: Dr. Coleman described pilot deployments of vape detectors at several schools and continuing attention to school design and staff training. The committee did not vote on policy changes; members requested follow‑up on the proposed police MOU, cost estimates for broader rollouts, and clarity from general counsel on public access to footage.