EXCLUSIVE: Channel 2 gets closer look at new weapon detection systems at DeKalb football stadiums

The Georgia high school football season kicks off this week. DeKalb County School District now has high-tech weapon detection systems at football stadiums to make sure fans can enjoy the games without worry.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes got an exclusive look at how the technology will work.

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The district approved the Evolv security systems for five different stadiums.

“These are the systems you see at major sporting events like State Farm Arena,” Chief Tracey Whaley told Fernandes.

The systems are programmed to look for more than just weapons. Fernandes tested out the system with her camera and metal items.

“I’m going to walk through. The system is going to catch these things because it’s not sure what they are. It’s safer for security to see what it actually is,” Fernandes showed you on Channel 2 Action News at 4:00 p.m.

This is nothing new to DeKalb students. The systems have been in place in DeKalb County Schools since the beginning of last school year. Every middle and high school has at least one weapon detection system.

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The district went a step further.

“We also have what we call a clear bag policy so we only allow bags that are clear - no bags where weapons can be concealed,” Whaley said.

The year before the district started using the Evolv system in 2022-2023, they stopped 27 weapons from coming into their schools. Once they got the system, that number went down.

They found only two weapons during the 2023-2024 school year.

“That makes me feel better about coming to our games. Let’s them know they can enjoy the games and their families can come and get can be part of the football community,” Whaley said.

The weapon detection system will be used for the first time at a football game on Friday night. The game is Druid Hills High School versus Miller Grove High School.

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