Schools to scan for knives at gates

Diigo

SCHOOLCHILDREN in Birmingham are set to be scanned with metal detectors to prevent them taking knives into the classroom. Amid fears of a growing knife culture amongst the young, talks have now taken place between senior education officers and Government officials to clear the way to use a mobile metal detection service at school gates.

The equipment, like that used in airport security checks, would enable schools to catch pupils who insist on carrying a blade.

The dramatic move has been revealed by Coun Les Lawrence, Birmingham's Cabinet member for children, young people and families.

It comes ahead of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which will soon give head teachers a legal right to search pupils for knives or other offensive weapons.

Coun Lawrence said: "This would be more of a kind of deterrent. If schools felt they had a particular problem with knives, then they could apply for the service to be installed.

"It would send out a warning to young people who would not know when the school was going to carry out a check."

According to police figures, a total of 244 offences involving a knife, sharp instrument or razor have taken place in, outside or near a school in the West Midlands since 2004.

Of those, 60 resulted in someone getting injured, while a further 42 incidents involved someone being threatened with a knife in or around a school.

Schools having the metal detectors would bring in a 'hit squad' of trained staff to operate the equipment and, if necessary, search bags.

Bringing in specialist security staff will ease the concerns of teaching unions who are worried about teachers having to carry out such searches.

Coun Lawrence said the council had spoken to a number of schools about the knives issue, although improving the behaviour of pupils was still the main priority.

"Having seen a trial scheme in Kent, I suggested it was something we could look at as a service to schools, which they could utilise if they so wish," Coun Lawrence added.

"We have started looking at the feasibility of providing a service that schools could use, with a small number of trained staff accompanying the equipment.

"It would be far too costly to have metal detectors in every school as we would have to fund the service ourselves.

"We also need to discuss the legal and health and safety ramifications of doing this."

He said education chiefs were looking to have further talks with the Department for Education in September, when schools re-open after the summer holiday.

Metal detectors have already been used in Birmingham's New Street Station and Centenary Square as part of Operation Shield.

In April, police arrested two teenagers on the station concourse, one for carrying a screwdriver and the other for possessing a knife.

Diigo