TOLEDO, Ohio — As students flooded the halls of Woodward High School Thursday morning, Toledo Public Schools officials greeted them with an updated way to keep them safe.
"This is new and improved," said Chief Nancy Thompson, who heads TPS' department of public safety. "We added newer equipment with the latest in technology."
Thompson is referring to the upgraded metal detectors, new security cameras district-wide and increased safety staff who monitor the buildings.
The district said it has increased the number of random screenings at its high schools this school year.
Nine guns were confiscated by the district during the 2023-2024 school year, according to a TPS spokesperson. Of those, three were firearms and six were another variety of prohibited guns such as an "Orby," the spokesperson said.
TPS claimed a total of 215 incidents during that 2023-2024 year across district campuses involved a student with a dangerous item.
“It’s typical to find vape pens, picks for the students’ hair, lighters, that sort of thing,” Thompson said.
When asked whether these updates were prompted by any specific incident, Thompson said that wasn't the case.
“Safety is important in all school districts,” she said. “Taking this proactive approach is just one more layer to protect everyone who visits our campuses.”
—
Want more from WTOL 11 News?
➡️ Download the WTOL 11 news app for Apple here or get it in the Google store here.
➡️ Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL 11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox!
WTOL 11's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed.
Click here to get on the list!
➡️ Stay up to date on what's happening in your community with a 24/7 live stream and on-demand content from WTOL 11+.
Our free WTOL 11+ apps are available on Roku and Fire TV.
WTOL 11+ features the latest breaking news and weather, plus daily talk shows, coverage of your favorite sports teams from Locked On, fact-checking from VERIFY and the latest trending stories from Daily Blast Live.
➡️ Looking for the lowest current local gas prices? Check out the WTOL 11 gas price tracker, powered by Gas Buddy, here.