North Carolina Charter School Tests Active Shooter Detection System

North Carolina Charter School Tests Active Shooter Detection System

Phoenix Academy, a charter school with three campuses, is serving as a beta site for a new video-integrated active shooter detection system.

Phoenix Academy, a charter school with three campuses, is serving as a beta site for a new video-integrated active shooter detection system. The system is designed to instantly, automatically alert law enforcement about school threats as well as give first responders access to security cameras to help them assess and address the threat more effectively.

The new system is set off the instant a shot is fired or a fire alarm is pulled, alerting local authorities to the emergency. At the same time, it activates school security cameras, allowing employees at the 911 call center to see what’s happening at the campus and locate the exact position of the threat.

Former Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Colonel Randy Powers, who worked on improving school safety during his time at the department, said he believes the system will be very helpful when there’s a threat at school.

“The video will be visible at 911 with data sent to the computers in police cars,” Powers said. “Responding officers will no longer be going in blind.”

Phoenix Academy Superintendent Kim Norcross said the automated nature of the integrated system will be very helpful.

“This system takes a weight off of our team,” Norcross said. “Staff, teachers, and administrators have a new level of comfort knowing it will help provide authorities with accurate information during an emergency without the need for one of them to make a call to 911.  That means we can focus on getting our students to safety.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • ASIS International Introduces ANSI-Approved School Security Standard

    ASIS International, a leading authority in security standards, is excited to announce the release of its American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved standard designed to provide a framework for developing, implementing, maintaining, and improving school security. The first comprehensive standard of its kind provides a critical benchmark for assessing and improving a school’s security posture regardless of size and funding. Read Now

  • High School Football Game Security

    The high school football season is scheduled to commence across the country in the coming weeks. The players and coaches have worked extremely hard preparing for a successful season. Students, parents, and the community are ready to support their teams. Read Now

  • Partner Alliance for Safer Schools Releases 2025 Update to Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools

    The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has released the seventh edition of its Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools, which offer the most comprehensive information available on nationwide leading practices specifically for securing school facilities, from subject matter experts across the education, public safety and industry sectors. Read Now

  • Enhancing K-12 Campus Safety with Smart Sensors

    In today’s educational environment, school safety is a top priority—not just for administrators, but for parents, students, and entire communities. Gone are the days when locking doors and hiring a school resource officer were sufficient deterrents to threats. Read Now