Scranton School District outlines security upgrades, training after weapon incident

Kevin Carney, the Scranton School District's school safety and security coordinator, told the board the district established a safety and security department in 2022 and has expanded staffing and technology to reduce risks.

Carney said the district increased district-employed SSOs from one to four, contracted 20 armed Cardinal Point security officers for secondary campuses, installed Evolve systems at secondary schools, added four patrol vehicles and launched a Phase 1 plan to place cameras at exterior doors and improve access control. "Vigilance is our first line of defense," Carney said, crediting community reporting and SSO/SRO response for preventing a worse outcome after an individual with a weapon was arrested near a high school.

The presentation included training and compliance details tied to Act 55 of 2022. Carney said the coordinator receives state training and that employees must complete a one-hour in-person emergency training plus two additional annual hours covering situational awareness, trauma-informed approaches, behavioral-health awareness and other topics. "These trainings were interactive and staff reported they found them useful," he said.

Board members asked about bus safety and contractor access. Carney confirmed all district buses are equipped with video-surveillance cameras but said SSOs are not routinely placed on buses because the buses operate off school property and that assigning SSOs to buses would strain manpower. He said the district will hold regular meetings with the busing contractor (Pete's Garage) and drivers to develop strategies.

On contractor access, multiple board members described principals spotting workers inside buildings without visible badges. Carney said the district has a policy designating a single public entrance and sign-in for visitors and contractors and that badges should be visible; he acknowledged inconsistent enforcement and said administration is working to hold individuals and contractors accountable.

The board asked staff to strengthen enforcement and consider contract language and fines for contractors who fail to ensure workers display badges. Staff described a clearance workflow that requires contractors to submit FBI/state/child-abuse checks via Monday.com; HR performs initial reviews and badges are not issued until clearances are complete.

The meeting concluded with board members thanking Carney for his work and urging continued community engagement and regular updates to parents and staff.