Florida District Outlines $1.7 Million in Security Upgrades

Florida District Outlines $1.7 Million in Security Upgrades

The Manatee County School District plans to address gaps in campus security with a $1.7 million security upgrades project.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 16, 2019

The Manatee County School District in Bradenton, Fla., plans to boost its campus security with a security upgrade project, made possible by $1.7 million in grant funding from the Florida Department of Education. The project, approved by the school board on Tuesday, will begin in October and continue through January 2021.

According to the project plan, most of Manatee County’s campuses are less than 75 percent enclosed, and several of its schools have less than 26 percent coverage on their perimeters. As a start, the district plans to install fences at 31 of its elementary, middle and high school campuses.

Doug Wagner, deputy superintendent of operations, said the project aims to add to existing fences at these campuses without fully enclosing the schools. Each school has different needs and plans, he said, based on their age and current security measures.

The project plan states that each fence will be “resistant to climbing, maintain visual surveillance lines, be durable, and aesthetically pleasing.”

Most of the state grant will go toward new fences and related security upgrades, but about $244,000 is set to go toward other projects at the district’s charter schools.

Imagine Charter School plans to install bullet-resistant glass on its lobby doors, as well as purchase Barracuda Intruder Defense Systems, a portable device that can attach to the top, bottom or handle of a door to barricade it from the inside. State College of Florida Collegiate School will purchase 34 “lockdown door barriers,” Team Success will add 37 security cameras to its campus and Rowlett Middle Academy will erect LED lights in its parking lots, doorways and hallways.

“The importance of this project is to ensure our schools are as safe as possible, given the resources that we have,” Wagner said. “We’re going to continue addressing this.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now

  • Turning Surveillance Into Strategy: AI’s Role in Driving Proactive Security

    Video surveillance has long been part of the campus safety toolkit, indispensable for investigating security incidents after they occur and a valuable tool for proactive deterrent. Read Now

  • A.C. Camargo Cancer Center Enhances Security, Patient Care with Help from Advanced Video Surveillance

    A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, a leading oncology treatment center in São Paulo, Brazil recognized for its history of innovation, today announced that its partnership with Axis Communications has produced savings of more than $2 million over its first two years, all of which will be reinvested in patient care. A.C. Camargo has deployed more than 2,000 state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras throughout the Center’s corridors, complex care units, and parking lots, embracing a more holistic approach to security that emphasizes patient and employee safety along with improved quality of service. Read Now

  • 2025 Secure Campus Award Winners Announced

    Campus Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 Secure Campus Award winners. Twenty companies are being recognized this year for products that help keep education and business campuses safe. Read Now

Most   Popular