In this featured piece by ABC15, the outlet reports on new safety measures at Mesa Public Schools, Arizona’s largest school district, as families returned to class following renewed public concern about school security. Allen Moore, the district’s director of security and safety, said his team has been reviewing lockdown and emergency protocols with the Mesa Police Department to align with current best practices. New additions this school year include the InformaCast app, which lets staff access the district’s lockdown system from a phone, desktop, or desk phone, along with blue strobe lights in areas like playgrounds and libraries where intercom announcements can be hard to hear. Moore said the security investments were made possible through voter-approved bonds.
Key Takeaways
- Mesa Public Schools, Arizona’s largest school district, added InformaCast to staff phones, desktops, and desk phones to give access to its lockdown system.
- The district is adding blue strobe lights in areas like playgrounds and libraries where intercom announcements can be difficult to hear.
- Front office remodels will add ballistic-proof film and a vestibule-style waiting area where visitors must be vetted before entering the rest of a school.
- The district conducts four lockdown drills a year involving students, along with age-appropriate presentations explaining lockdown protocols.
- Director of Security and Safety Allen Moore said the security upgrades were funded through voter-approved bonds.
Original Story
School security has been top of mind for many people as children head back to the classroom, especially after the recent shooting in a Uvalde, Texas elementary school.
Some Valley school districts have worked to improve their safety measures.
Allen Moore is the director of security and safety for the state’s largest school district, Mesa Public Schools. It’s his job to make sure the tools and protocols are in place to prepare the schools for any potential threat.
“There’s a lot of anxiety among parents and staff with the tragedies that have happened recently,” Moore said. “Anytime there’s a tragedy, such as what happened in Uvalde, I mean, my stomach gets upset…that obviously upsets me.”
Moore said he’s been reviewing the lockdown and emergency management protocols with the Mesa Police Department and other districts to ensure they’re using the best practices available.
“Ever since Sandy Hook, we’ve been ramping up the security protocols,” he said. “We’ve been increasing safety, such as putting up fencing, to create one point of entry.”