Laredo ISD Boosts Campus Security With Metal Detectors, New App

LAREDO, Texas (KGNS) – The first day of school can be stressful for students and parents, but since the tragedy in Uvalde, safety has become a top priority for schools. Laredo Independent School District (LISD) has implemented several new safety measures to ensure a safe environment.

LISD has installed metal detectors in elementary and middle schools and gun detectors in high schools. A new app also lets teachers quickly call for help if needed.

Dr. Óscar Pérez, LISD’s executive director of health and safety, emphasized the importance of safety being a collaborative effort. “This year, we will continue with the silent panic alarm technology, which includes downloading an app to your phone so that we can access and communicate immediately with our first responders, our administration, and our district team,” Dr. Pérez said. “We also have the ability to do computer-based training.”

Valeria Caramillo, a fifth-grade teacher at JC Martin Elementary, reflected on the impact of the Uvalde tragedy. Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, the teachers who lost their lives in the shooting, were former classmates of hers when she was a fourth-grade teacher. “Something tragic happens and it makes you think — life is so short,” Caramillo said. “It makes you think about safety procedures and put everything in place to be proactive and avoid tragic incidents like this.”

District officials hope the new measures will keep everyone safe on campuses and offices.

LISD schools employ 52 police officers and more than 72 security guards.

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