Part-Time Hinsdale D86 Security System Approved

DARIEN, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86's new security system won't be used daily, just for events.

That's the administration's plan, but some school board members want to explore using it every day – before and after school.

Last week, the board unanimously approved spending about $160,000 on nine towers that serve as weapons detection systems.

But officials said the equipment would only be used for sports and other activities and circumstances such as a credible threat requiring another layer of security.

Last month, Kurt Bluder, the district's security director, said in a memo that the district should not use the equipment daily because of required staffing, the number of false positives and delays for students entering the school.

At the board meeting, member Peggy James said the district is spending a lot of money on equipment that won't be used much of the time.

"It'll ultimately be in a closet," she said.

Josh Stephenson, the district's chief financial officer, disagreed, citing the number of events that the two high schools host.

"It's not something we're buying and putting on a shelf," he said. "We're procuring nine units. They last in the six- to 10-year range... There's a cost, but I don't think it's that exorbitant of a cost compared to the benefit that it would be driving."

Member Debbie Levinthal said the district should buy the system.

"If the board's direction is that we want to use it daily, then we need to provide that direction," she said. "That starts with purchasing the equipment and providing that direction to start putting together a proposal for how many staff members it would require on each campus. But at this point, it's a layer of safety (risk) mitigation that I believe the board should seriously consider purchasing."

Member Terri Walker said Levinthal was right.

"Because we have the opportunity to do this now, we can look at how we can use it more in the future," Walker said.