Cape Coral schools enhance safety with new weapons detection systems

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) — Oasis Charter Schools in Cape Coral introduced new OPENGATE weapons detection systems at its elementary, middle, and high schools. The initiative aims to enhance safety and security for students and staff.

"We've been practicing and working to make sure we get the settings appropriate and correct so that we can get kids in quickly and get them to class and learning as fast as possible," said Donnie Hopper, principal at Oasis Middle School.

For Emma, an 8th grader at the school, the new system offers reassurance.

"Personally, I think I feel a lot better and a lot safer at the school," Emma said.

The OPENGATE system has proven effective before. In January, similar detectors prevented a loaded firearm from entering Trafalgar Elementary School. Hopper emphasized the importance of such measures.

"It's been a big discussion of how different things are these days, and it is kind of unfortunate that we have to do that," said Hopper. "Even with the best techniques that we have and the strategies and our SROs and the OPENGATE systems, we need kids to do the right thing and speak up. If they hear something, if they see something, they need to say something."

The systems are already operational at Oasis Middle as of Tuesday. Oasis High and Elementary Schools plan to activate theirs later in the week.