School security firms present new strategies following Santa Fe shooting

A leading school security firm is lining up talks with Houston-area leaders about technology that can stop shootings faster as well as social strategies to prevent school shootings from ever happening in the first place.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner suggested metal detectors as a possible security strategy following the Santa Fe school shooting. SSI Guardian President Michael Yorio says that's one idea that, if implemented, should be added to preventative training methods, such as cracking down on bullying.

"It's important to understand the core of the threat," said Yorio. "Bullying is the number one factor in school shootings."

Yorio's private school security firm works to prioritize the mental health component with the physical safety component. SSI Guardian educates teachers on how to identify a student's change in behavior as a "threat indicator."

"Identify the threat indicators and help the school districts create the proper policies and protocols in place, so when they recognize the threat indicators, they have established policies and know how to handle them," said Yorio. "Knowing when to bring in mental health professionals, when to bring in law enforement, etc."

The firm also teaches lockdown procedures and security best practices.

"What's important to understand: 95 percent of school shooters are students, so while some want to focus on perimeter security, that threat is truly in house," said Yorio.

If the threat does materialize and shots are fired in a school, one company in Katy is using gunshot detecting technology to speed up the response time in hopes of saving some lives. CLS Technology, Inc.'s "Shooter Detection System" looks similar to a vent on a wall, and can alert school security personnel immediately. The sensors direct security personnel to the exact location where the shots were fired and also indicate where the shooter is going next.

"As he's making his way, these are fresh gunshots that are detected, so they will actually go red, showing that there is a live gunfire in these areas," said CLS Technology consultant Robert Wimberley, pointing out the sensor map used by security personnel to target and shut down a potential shooter.

CLS Technology officials say they have contacted school districts, including Santa Fe ISD, in hopes of getting the new technology implemented in schools to help identify and stop a shooter more quickly.