Bibb County public schools soon will get weapons detection equipment this spring

The Macon-Bibb County School Board approved $1.3 million for the purchase of weapons detection systems in December 2023, which officials say are now ready to be installed across the district.

The procurement process for the devices began in January, and they’ll be installed sometime later this spring, said Jeremy Timmerman, communications specialist for the school district.

District officials told WGXA News that weapons detection systems will be implemented in all Bibb County schools this semester, following a precautionary lockdown at Ballard-Hudson Middle School on Jan. 24 after a gun was handed over to a staff member.

Eighty-two weapons scanners will be purchased and used at every school when students arrive in the morning.

They may also be used for school visitors, but that would require staff to manually operate the devices on those occasions, according to David Gowan, director of safety and risk management for the school district.

The Bibb County School District paid for the new security measures with a security and safety grant from the Georgia Department of Education.

There was no specific date provided for when the district will begin installing the equipment.