Oasis Charter Schools in Cape Coral installs weapons detection systems

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Oasis Charter Schools has installed OpenGate weapons detection systems at all four of its campuses.

School administration said Oasis Charter Schools is the last in Lee County to install the technology.

Oasis Charter Schools installs weapons detection systems, the last in Lee County to get them

Tracy Davis, a mother of an Oasis Middle School student, said she welcomed the change.

"I was all for it, anything to make the schools safer," Davis said.

Sarah Neyhart, a guardian of students at Oasis Elementary and Middle School, echoed that sentiment.

"I think more protection for the kids the better," Neyhart said.

OpenGate lighting up — The OpenGate weapons detection system looks at metal density and will alert the school administration and the adults monitoring the devices if someone is carrying a suspicious object.

Donnie Hopper, principal of Oasis Middle School and project manager for the OpenGate devices, said the detection systems are used to find dangerous items before they enter the schools.

"It is designed to pick up guns, knives, bombs, big items that would cause harm to students and adults in a school," he said.

Hopper explained why the schools did not install the systems closer to when the Lee County School District did in 2023.

OpenGate at the school entrance — The OpenGate devices will be set up during school days and events at the schools to detect if a child or adult is bringing something dangerous on campus.

"We had a lot of the foundation to provide that safety," he said. "We felt like we were doing so much right, this is just taking it to that next level."

Hopper said there have been no incidents of students bringing weapons on campus, and the schools already have a number of other security measures in place — with the OpenGate system now among them.

"We've always felt comfortable, but I think a lot of parents do. School is supposed to be a safe place, so however we can make it safer," Neyhart said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.