Already a secure school, Presidio ISD expands safety initiatives

(second in series) PRESIDIO – The doors were opened to students on all three Presidio ISD campuses on Monday for the new school year, but due to new safety measures, it will now take more time for visitors to enter the high school. The school district has installed a gate and buzzer system district-wide requiring visitors to show identification and for it to be scanned, and a visitor badge will then be printed and issued before the gate door is opened. The district implemented this system on the elementary campus two years ago, the middle school last year, and now the high school. The doorways of all three campuses have been repositioned with a fenced perimeter, cameras and equipped with a magnetic locking system. “Our main goal is to allow students to focus on education,” said Presidio ISD Chief of Police Joel Nunez. “Everything was done tastefully to avoid the appearance of a prison.” The school district security force includes Nuñez and three other officers. As a result of recent federal protocols and school shootings, federal agencies have been allowed to assist the PISD officers. This collaboration has created an Emergency Management Committee. The PISD officers who engage with agencies such as CBP, Border Patrol, City Police and the Sheriff’s Office, manage the committee. The committee intends to implement new procedures and be active within the first weeks of school. Cop Sync, an app the school has used for the past three years is installed on the computer of each teacher, and triggers immediate response from local law enforcement. The app gives the exact location of the distress call and is tested monthly. According to Nuñez, the response time is under two minutes. The school district has also issued a new app, STOPit, which allows students, staff and parents to communicate anonymously with police officers. “We already have a safe school,” said Nuñez. “STOPit is just a better form of communication.” The app can be used on all three campuses. With the app, you can report incidents such as bullying, assaults, drug activities, and campus concerns. At future PTO meetings, the app will be discussed with parents in an effort to foster a better understanding of its capabilities, according to Nuñez. The school district will also be implementing mandatory drug testing for students who participate in school sponsored extracurricular activities.