Gwinnett County officials have created an emergency notification system aimed at alerting police if an intruder is in a school.
The system is part of a partnership between the county government, its school system and the Buford city school system that is supposed to give school staff greater control over who enters a school once classes begin. It was funded through a 1 percent sales tax that Gwinnett voters approved in November 2013.
Once the school day begins, school doors will be locked and visitors must press a button on a control panel to enter the school. The control panel includes a video camera that allows staff inside the school to see who is at the door. Gwinnett officials unveiled the system to reporters Thursday.
“This emergency notification system, which is funded through the 2014 SPLOST Program, creates a direct link from each public school to our 911 Center,” Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said in a statement. “In case of an emergency at a school, communications officers in the 911 Center can quickly dispatch law enforcement and public safety personnel as well as provide critical information to those first responders.”
Gwinnett began a pilot program at four elementary schools last year.
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