School Security Measures | Video

Alex Hagan | 1/24/2013

After the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, raising school security has been talked about constantly. But one school in North Dakota has already heightened their security measures for future incidents. The Standing Rock Community School at Fort Yates, has used metal detectors, cameras, and hall monitors for about seven years now, but school administrators say they may heighten security.

Standing Rock Community School is home to a high school, middle school and elementary school. All three may look like your typical learning establishment, but once you get inside, it`s a whole different story.

"Metal detectors, screening if metal detector does detect something then we have the electronic wands that are used," said Superintendent Wayne Trottier.

For about 15 years, students have gone through metal detectors before coming in. Cameras are located throughout the school at almost every entrance. Every door only opens one way. Security guards have to open them using a specific key.

"If they`re not in class, they`re not on task, so I think that on part was the initial need for them," Trottier said.

Unarmed guards march the hallways to insure safety in all three facilities.

"Clear the hallways, make sure kids go to class. Basically safety of it all in our schools," said Director of Hall Monitor Security Don Two Bears.

While it may seem like too much, a former student says she doesn`t mind sending her son to school there.

"They should have top-notch security to begin with. They should be hiring security," said Cherisse Bendickson-Eagle.

Trottier says he thinks more security should be added. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribes received a cops grant that would provide more metal detectors, more cameras and four armed school resource officers to add on to what they already have.

"I think we`re quite prepared with the plethora of reasons that we can take should we have any type of crisis or threat to our school system occur," Trottier said.

For some residents, armed guards may be going too far.

"There`s no way they should have younger kids around that stuff," said Bendickson-Eagle.

Trottier says he would recommend the security measures he has at his school to anybody throughout the country.

He also says he plans on putting cameras at every entrance along with keyless entries for every door.

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