Dozens of new security enhancements, ranging from weapons detection systems to AI monitoring devices, are scheduled to be in full operation inside Harford County public schools by the end of this year after a Monday night school board vote approving them.

The Board of Education unanimously approved a contract with CEIA USA, Ltd, an Ohio-based metal detection equipment supplier. The contract states that it is for “over $100,000” and said the total annual expenditure will depend on the needs of the school system and funding availability.

Some of the security enhancements outlined in the contract include:

Improvements to surveillance systems.

The deployment of artificial intelligence sensors for weapons and anomaly detection.

Advanced weapons detection systems using millimeter wave magnetometers.

Non-invasive radar sensors for bathrooms that will monitor occupancy and detect lingering, vape and drug smoke, along with distress signal detection for words like “help” or “stop.”

“These measures are rooted in our understanding that safety and security are foundational,” Board of Education President Aaron Poynton said Monday. “If our staff or students come to school with fear or anxiety, we cannot achieve our primary goal of academic excellence.”

School officials stated that the systems will be installed in every public school in Harford County, but did not specify which schools would receive which security upgrades. Officials cited potential security concerns associated with the disclosure of the system deployment along with in-depth information on how the systems will operate.

County Executive Bob Cassilly has pledged $1.1 million for safety enhancements and said he would fund three additional school resource officers. It was unclear whether funding for the SROs was included in the total.

In a news release Tuesday, Harford County Public Schools said “most” of the new security measures are set to be installed before the end of the calendar year; however, according to Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, the hiring and training of student resource officers takes between 10 and 12 months.

“Assuming this funding is allocated and approved in the FY26 budget, the public should expect to see new SROs in place during the spring of 2026,” Cristie Hopkins, the sheriff’s director of Media and Public Relations, said in an email Tuesday.

Hopkins explained that Gahler has requested the addition of three resource officers for the past two years, citing Cassilly’s former commitment of a 5% increase in the sheriff and school system budgets in February that was withdrawn due to revenue shortfalls.

The sheriff’s office said it remains “hopeful” that Cassilly will not withdraw his promise of the additional officers and that Harford schools will receive the additional safety personnel in a timely manner.

Superintendent Sean Bulson said in the release that once the enhancements are deployed, the school system will monitor their effectiveness.

“The administration will closely monitor the effectiveness of these initial enhancements and will continue to seek community feedback to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our students, parents and staff in maintaining a safe school environment,” Bulson said.

Poynton stated during the Monday night meeting that he feels the security measures will go a long way, but that the school system relies on parents to assist in student behavior.

“We cannot address these challenges without your partnership,” Poynton said. “You play a critical role in ensuring your child’s behavior reflects the standards we are striving to uphold in our schools.”

He explained that parents need to know what their children are doing, who their friends are, whether they are attending school or not and what is on their phones, in their backpacks and in their rooms.

“Your involvement and your vigilance are critical to ensuring that your children, our students, are making choices that uphold safety and security and the integrity of our schools,” Poynton said.

The security enhancements follow the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Warren Grant at Joppatowne High School in September. Police said Grant was shot during a fight in the school’s bathroom by 16-year-old Jaylen Rushawn who was charged as an adult in Grant’s death.

The shooting sparked conversations among parents, school officials and community leaders about enhanced school safety. Thousands signed a petition urging the school system to implement metal detectors and clear backpacks.

Immediately following the shooting, students at Joppatowne High School were restricted from carrying large backpacks and could only carry bags no bigger than a hand purse.

Poynton explained that the school system has implemented numerous security enhancements before those approved Monday night, ranging from secure school entry measures to enhanced security cameras and communication systems.

“We put careful consideration into selecting solutions that would remain mostly noninvasive, transparent and that will not disrupt school operations,” Poynton said. “These enhancements are all a significant step in making schools and the community safer.”

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