The Douglas County School District board rejected a cost sharing program proposed by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners that would have installed metal detectors at up to 10 district schools.

Board members cited high and recurring costs, staffing concerns and a lack of conclusive research showing the systems reduce school violence at their April board meeting.

“I appreciate the commissioners want to help us, but this is unsustainable for our district,” Director Kyrzia Parker said. 

Deputy Superintendent Danelle Hiatt presented an overview of the county’s proposal, which included installing Evolv metal detection systems and backpack search stations and funding for two school resource officers at rural elementary schools. 

The only district school currently using the technology is STEM School Highlands Ranch, where it was installed in 2023 as part of a county-funded pilot program following a school shooting in 2019.

Jonathan Grusing, district director of security, said each entryway would need to be staffed by additional law enforcement, bringing the total annual staffing costs to approximately $10 million. 

“If you have an entryway system, that is a search for a weapon, and if you are searching for weapons, the best practice is to have at least that amount of force waiting for it,” Grusing said. 

The county offered $850,000 in the first year and $713,000 annually for three additional years.

During the discussion, board members questioned whether entryway weapons detection systems are effective. Hiatt said the research is mixed.

“The effectiveness is inconclusive in that regard,” Hiatt said.

District officials pointed to more than $10 million the district invests annually in school safety initiatives. Additional funding includes $10 million from the 2024 bond for security infrastructure such as cameras, radios and secure door hardware, as well as $6 million from a 2023 mill levy override to expand SRO coverage and increase security staffing.

“School safety is our highest priority, and ensuring our students are cared for and able to learn in a safe and secure environment is essential,” Hiatt said.

Current measures include more than 55 school resource officers and 120 campus security specialists. Officials said every middle and high school is staffed by at least one SRO — a sworn law enforcement officer — while elementary schools share an assigned SRO among two to three campuses. Douglas County contributes $4.1 million each year to support the SRO program.

The district is currently facing an impending $15 million budget shortfall for the 2027-28 school year, district officials said, adding that the $10 million represents approximately 160 employees. 

“There are a lot of critical challenges for consideration,” Hiatt said. 

Officials said none of the district’s law enforcement partners recommended the technology and said administrators at all district high schools declined the option when asked if they wanted the system.

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you which 160 teacher and staff members, and special ed, and bus drivers, we’re going to fire for a technology that I cannot find a piece of research that says it saves kids,” Director Brad Geiger said. 

After discussion, the board voted 7–0 to direct staff to draft a letter thanking the commissioners for their offer while declining the entryway weapons detection proposal.

The board asked whether county officials would consider redirecting the funding toward secure vestibules at middle schools and increased SRO coverage at rural elementary schools.