Chief Franco outlines phased safety upgrades: cameras, visitor management and emergency routing

Chief Franco presented the district’s safety vision and a technology roadmap intended to create layered protections across school sites.

The plan starts with perimeter fencing and access control at each site, he said, then moves to a visitor management system (hot pass) that requires an ID check; the system will screen IDs against a national sex‑offender registry and produce immediate flags when there is a match. Chief Franco said the registry check returns results instantaneously and staff will verify any hit before limiting access; the superintendent currently retains authority to grant access in special cases.

Cameras and a dispatch‑connected monitoring system form a second layer. Chief Franco described AI capabilities that can detect clothing color and attire, track movement and, under configured parameters, flag weapons. The system is tied into a central dispatch center and a K‑12 emergency communication tool to push soft lockdowns, evacuations or other alerts. Updated InMaps emergency routing and an anonymous reporting tool (Say Something) round out the plan, he said.

Trustees asked about false positives, privacy and how the district balances access for reformed parents who may be listed in registries. Chief Franco said hits are verified with a manual check and contextual review; the district will make accommodation decisions — for example, supervised access or alternative arrangements — after consultation with the superintendent and site staff.

Chief Franco said the first phase of cameras was near completion with full completion anticipated by the end of May, and noted the system includes privacy safeguards and parameter settings to avoid inappropriate profiling. Board members asked for follow‑up on operational guidance for principals, how verification will be documented, and specifics on timelines for remaining phases.