Cohoes board resumes metal‑detector discussion, asks staff to resolve logistics before purchase

The Cohoes City School District board resumed a discussion about installing metal detectors at school entries and events and asked staff to work with building safety teams on implementation details before any purchase is finalized.

District presenters reviewed several vendor systems—ranging from full walkthrough gates to open‑gate hand‑screening systems used by other districts—and showed a vendor video of another school's implementation. The administration noted the systems typically require initial vendor training (district staff would attend training before activation) and may use handheld devices or district iPads to support scanning. The board asked about recurring costs (batteries, proprietary software), delivery timelines and whether the current inventory of district iPads (four devices) would be adequate.

Board members raised equity and communications concerns: several said any entry‑screening policy must be applied consistently across events (not only at selected high‑profile games), and the board discussed how to notify families to avoid surprise or anxiety when detectors are used. One board member said, "I don't foresee it being a problem... it's more equitable — everybody goes through it and it's its expectation," while others warned about logistics for simultaneous events and the need for a clear communications plan.

District staff proposed a near‑term next step: convene the high‑school safety team, review operational logistics (staffing, branding, communications and whether officers or staff will run checkpoints), and return to the board with a recommendation and communication strategy prior to any implementation or purchase. The board indicated it would consider placing purchase costs within the current budget year if logistical questions are resolved.